The Origin of Soap

   A legend says that the origin of soap is connected with mountain Sapo, where ancient Romans had made sacrifice of animals for gods` sake. At the bottom of this mountain there was the Tiber River and the local women were washing clothes and linen. Animals’ fat mixed up with fire ashes was washed off by rains into the river. Water in the river started forming a kind of foam, and the women who got used to rinsing linen there, had noticed, that there all the dirty was perfectly cleaned off from fabric. They didn’t know anything about care of skin of face or hands. As for soap, which was discovered to be an attribute means for antibacterial purpose belongs to the antique doctor Galen who had lived in II century AD. There was no soup then. Then after that the idea of soap was forgotten for many centuries, that resulted in severe epidemics of plague in the Europe in the Middle Ages. Again soap had appeared in Europe only in the XIII century in France and England. However it had been used only by rich people. The rest of population didn’t know anything about soap. Meanwhile the manufacture was extended, and popularity of soap grew. The French scientist Lui Pasteur had found out in the beginning of the XIX century that bacteria were activators for the appearance of illnesses. After that people began to understand how important was to follow personal antibacterial requirements. Since the production of soap has been starting and this product has become popular among all layers of population. It is a nice means of hygiene in order to protect skin of face and hands from harmful bacteria.