Science question re: cleaning out a tuba

[dvtuba]

So, I'm curious. This question might seem stupid, but I was never very good at science.

I had a conversation with someone over the weekend about cleaning out the inside of a horn. Basically goes like this: Over time, could not cleaning out the inside of your horn (in the shower or professionally done) lead to an amount of gunk or whatever that could actually make someone ill?

I've cleaned out my mouthpiece many times because I've noticed a fine layer of gunk formed over time on the inside of the shank...maybe from the coffee I was drinking while practicing or what have you. So it's safe to say that that same gunk has made its way past the shank and into the horn. I've also cleaned my pistons after noticing some build-up around the holes and I've showered with ol' Bertha at times and have seen some gunk come out from doing that, too.

Obviously, keeping a horn clean is always a good idea. But what I'M curious about is, since a player breathes this gunk into the horn, they must also be breathing it out of the horn in some regard, right? And if so, could there be something somewhere in the horn that's essentially "growing" in the gunk that could (potentially) lead to illness. (I'm thinking of mold, I guess.)

Again, this might be a stupid question as in "Of course" or a stupid question as in "Of course not". Either way, I'm curious.

[bort]

Probably... although before it gets to the point of making you sick, it will probably stink enough to make you want to clean it out.

[eupher61]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... =129725678
this should be a little more helpful.

[tbn.al]

I think I am getting sick. I am a lax cleaner.

[bort]

"Science!"

[dvtuba]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... =129725678" target="_blank
this should be a little more helpful.

Thanks so much for this! Just what I was looking for.

[corbasse]

Two not very scientific but funny reads on this topic by London top french horn player Pip Eastop:
http://eastop.net/classical-hornplaying ... -bacteria/
http://eastop.net/classical-hornplaying ... your-horn/

[tbn.al]

Hilalrious take on a not so funny subject.

[butch]

That's very interesting, molds and bacteria in musical instruments.

Does someone out there know of studies made about the water that collects in horns? I'm just curious!

Regards
Butch