Good Clean Fun Trivia Quiz

Answer: Elizabeth I

In buttermilk apparently. This seems rather self-defeating, as after a couple of days I suspect that the smell of rancid milk would be worse than odours created by just not washing.

I have been utterly devastated to learn during my research, that she may never have said this at all, and it is probably just a joke. History can be terribly disappointing sometimes. It always lets facts get in the way of a good story. She wasn't even bald.

Answer: James I

One bath shortly after birth, one shortly after death. So strictly speaking, he only actually had one bath in his life. To add insult to nasal injury, he also refused to wash, preferring to dab the tips of his fingers with a damp napkin occasionally.

It is thought that he may have had a skin disease that made water painful on his skin, but that doesn't explain why he also never changed his trousers. It is reported that when one pair wore out, he would just put another pair on over the top.

Answer: Becket's holiness

It is thought that, although even the cleanest were not without vermin in 12th century England, Becket actually encouraged these generally unwelcome visitors as a spiritual discipline. So strictly speaking, it was his determination to 'mortify his flesh' in pursuit of holiness that was admired by the crowds.

Answer: Gut

While hands are often considered dirty, the gut is where the most bacteria reside. Most bacteria, in fact, is really helpful for the body's functions. On our skin, some places can contain between a million and a billion bacterium per square centimeter! Despite this being a slightly frightening thought, many sites on the web are rushing to re-assure me that this is not necessarily a bad thing. Bacteria have some useful habits from breaking down rubbish to making yoghurt err... yoghurt.

Answer: True

I had never heard this before I started writing this quiz (insert obvious joke here), but apparently most Asians and Native Americans have dry ear wax which is grey in colour - or gray in color, if you're Native American, I suppose - while people from other ethnic groups have yellowish sticky ear wax.

This fact was brought to you with the help of the good folks of 'Grossology' http://www.webaddesign.net/grossology//faqs/970616.html

Answer: France

The worst service station for hygiene, friendliness of service, price and quality of food, and shopping facilities was Village Catalan. However, the overall loser is England. These results are rather arbitrary - only 6 service stations were tested in the UK, and only Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, and Switzerland were included in the survey.

If you like motorways, you may want to read the whole story here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3831659.stm

Answer: Washing powder

Oh, the glamour of international politics. My illusions about dashing smugglers crossing borders while wearing 18th Century costume have taken a bit of a tumble too. Not quite diamond smuggling. Still, at least if they are dressed as highway men, their lace-frilled shirts should be dazzlingly white.

Answer: The overpowering stench of the nearby River Thames

The summer of 1858 became known as 'The Great Stink'. For some years, cholera epidemics had been sweeping through the poorer areas of town, but parliament had been slow to clean up the Thames, which had become an open sewer as well as the source of London's drinking water.

However, it was only when the smell began to inconvenience politicians that action was taken to solve the problems.

Answer: True

'Salubrious' is derived from the Latin word 'salus' meaning health, and The Oxford English Reference Dictionary gives the following definition:
1) health-giving, healthy
2) (of surroundings etc.) pleasant; agreeable

Answer: England

He added "It would help also if people made the council keep the streets less dirty from filth and urine". This still remains the dream of many Londoners. (Letter to John Francis, date unkown: read it here http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext05/7eras10.txt if your Latin is up to it!)