Four Points to Always Remember When Dining in Developing Countries

The latest edition of the Johns Hopkins Medical Newsletter contains a restatement of the practices to be followed for avoiding travelers' diarrhea. It contains no surprises and its specific warnings have frequently appeared in other publications of this sort. But those rules can't be sufficiently emphasized by persons making trips to under-developed countries:
Avoid drinking tap water, and don't use tap water for brushing your teeth. Rather, obtain bottled water for tooth-brushing, meaning water that's been boiled or otherwise de-contaminated. And don't let them put ice cubes into your drinks. Avoid uncooked fruits and vegetables, unless they are products that you yourself can peel.Never eat raw meats or raw seafood.Consult your doctor to determine whether your own constitution or medications will permit you to take Pepto Bismol or Kaopectate for preventing or treating travelers' diarrhea once incurred.