Waste not... Ah want not???

[lectio]

In theory, the surrounding area would smell pretty funky by now - what with bodies, decomposing food, and garbage...I'm surprised the tower hasn't had more of a rat problem. And mosquitoes, too - there'd be standing pools of water, and no municipal services to spray pesticides. West Nile and dengue fever will be among the survivors' concerns. Typhoid fever and dysentery from contaminated drinking water is also a concern, as would be food poisoning and influenza. Nobody in the tower - save Saul - has had a serious medical emergency yet, but any survivors with diabetes, high blood pressure, or diseases needing treatment will find themselves running out of meds soon (diabetics on insulin would likely be in serious trouble by now). Anybody on anti-depressants or anti-psychotics will have needed to make a drugstore raid, and even those supplies will eventually dwindle.

With the waste issue, I suspect tower survivors would probably burn the solid waste and use sewers for liquid. They must surely be using a common latrine by now, since water can't be wasted to clear a toilet.

Come to think of it, nobody's had a dental problem yet, either. But what do you do when you've got a toothache or a broken tooth...and no dentist?