Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember saying something
like:

===Swarfega===
Paraffin gel with additives. Paraffin alone makes quite a good
substitute.

Years ago (when I was young and stupid(er)) I discovered that cleaning
my mucky oily hands in clean engine oil or kerosene really worked.
Luckily I didn't do it for too long before a bod from the lab next door
spotted me doing it and informed me with some passion that I was
cruising for skin cancer.
I haven't done that since and have (nearly) always used barrier creams
too.

Paraffin is still used medicinally, and AFAIK is not a known
carcinogen.

Engine oil I'm less certain about, but if it were known to be
carcinogenic I think a lot more precautions would be taken at garages,
and there would be stark awrnings on all engine oil containers..


NT