The following appeared in a memo from the director of a large group of hospitals."In a laboratory study of liquid antibacterial hand soaps, a concentrated solution of UltraClean produced a 40 percent greater reduction in the bacteria population than did t

The argument with recommendation that they should supply UltraClean at all hand-washing stations throughout our hospital system is rather weak. It is based on two premises that UltraClean produced a 40 percent greater reduction in the bacteria population than did the liquid hand soaps currently used in a laboratory study, and that hospital in Workby reported significantly fewer cases of patient infection than did any of the other hospitals in our group during a subsequent test of UltraClean. However, there are many missed assumptions, as explained in the following paragraphs.

First, the assumption that the study is trustworthy is needed to be certified. There are a plenty of laboratory study, many in them are concrete and worth credits, while still many are simply fake, produced for confusing the authority and the public. The claimed study must be testified in order to confirm the result of the study, or all the memo will be invalid. In order to strengthen the argument, this assumption should be explained.

In addition, the assumption that, during the claimed subsequent test of UltraClean in Workby, no other hospitals, as comparisons, adopt the policy of using the UltraClean must also be certified. There must be some differece between the tested hospital and the hospitals for comparison, that is the use of UltraClean must be special, say an eccentric doing. If the assumption is further verified, then the result may be trustworthy. If, on the contrary, there are some of the hospitals standing for comparison using it, the reason of the dramatic report must be reevaluated.

Moreover, even the above assumption is confirmed, the assumption that the conditions of all the hospitals, including one in Workby, are the same must be corroborated, as well. The deviation of every situation may result in very different conclusion. For example, if, even without UltraClean, the hospital in Workby is much cleaner than others, say the concentration of bacteria just at least ten percents lower than the others, the conclusion of the report may just be proved to be wrong. So as to fortify the argument, the assumption must be explained in the statement.

In the end, the argument is rather weak. There are three assumption stated above needed to be explained, in order to reinforce the conclusion. Therefore, without the additional aid, there is no way to simply accept it. Leave the memo until further confirmation.