The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1883-03-03
TIE DANGER OF KISSING.

OF ulphtherla, received some hlntS on
the chief cause of infection, which, I'M
der existing circumstances, are almost
remarkable. The physician in ques-
ton is one whose reports on infectious
diseases have gained him European
reputation, and who has paid special
attention to the subject of dipthcria.
He modcstly requested that his name
should not be given to the public, if
any use was made of his remarks. He
said !: "The impression that prevails
that the neglected condition Of our
sewers and streets is Il prolific cause OF
the diseases spoken of generally rs
Zymotic, is perfectly correct, but so
many eases of diptheria have come
under my notice lately where the
patients were surrounded by the most
perfect sanitary conditions that l found
it necessary to look beyond those
causes for the origin of the infection.
\ little research showed me that the
prime cause in all those cases was the
same. All the patients were children
or quite young girls, and found that
they had contracted the disease by
kissing some infected schoolmatc or
playmate. | will give an instance to
illustrate my remarks, and which will
serve at the same time to illustrate the
extreme danger children are subject to
by kissing their young companions.
\ little girl, daughter Of wealthy par
cnts, who almost Worshiped her, for
she was their only child, complained
to her attendant a few mornings ago
that she did not feel well, and did not
wish to go to school. The nurse, Il
wclmcaning, but ignorant person,
failed to see anything serious the mat.
ter With the child, laughed at her COM
plaint, and not desiring to trouble the
mother took the child to school rs
usual. The child grew worse rapidly.
The small red dirthcria spot in her
throat, which any doctor would have
noticed, had one been called in, but
which carried no significance to the
nurse, grew and enlarged rapidly, and
before recess covered half of the back
portion of tho throat. Tho little ones
teacher noticed that the child was
really sick and sent her home. Before
she left the school, which, l may add,
is an extremely we'll conducted pri-
vatc seminary, the child said goodbye
to her desk mate and kissed her. The
little girl who was kissed caught the
disease. In the case of the first child,
the disease had spread so far when
medical assistance was called in that
she died, though had a doctor been
called in earlier her life would proba
bly, have been saved. The second
child was promptly treated, and her
life was saved.
"Anothcr case that came to my no
Int f,r os fn
how the child caught the complaint,
but at last | found out that her mother
had allowed her to kiss the lips of Il
little companion who lay dead in Il col-
fin, a victim of dipthcria. Understand
me. | donot intend to convey the idea
that | have discovered anything new.
Every doctor could tell you the Same
thing, but don't believe the general
public know the danger of tho prOmis.
cuOuS kissing indulged in by children.
IF they did, parents would stop their
children from the habit, for in children
it is nothing but a habit, and conveys
no sense of affection or gratiiication.
The teachers caution their scholars
against the habit. Taking a common
sense view of the case and one is in
stantly convinced of the danger of in
fiction from kiss. Dipthcria is for
eign growth in the throat. Infection
is caused by particles of this growth
coming in contact with healthy sur
face. The saliva flows over the dis
cased spots and absorbs portion of the
minute spores. The habit of most
people, especially children, is to mois-
ten their lips with the tongue. The
infected saliva is thus carried to the
lips, and the contact of lips in kissing
carries the disease from the sick to the
healthy person. Nor is diphtheria
the only form Of infection that can be
carried by kiss. In the course of my
practice | haVccOmc across cases Of the
most loathSomc disease which the pa
ticnt contracted by contact with the
lips of diseased person. | would not
wish to create unnecessary alarm in
the mind Of any person, nor have !
any desire to stop the osculatory enjoy
mcnt SO dear to swecthcarts and new
Iy-weddcd folks. l do not suppose
that such people would heed my warn
ings if they heard them, but ] do say
that for an unhealthy person to kiss
another is Il crime, and the habit OF
promiscuou5 kissing most dangerous
from sanitary point OF vicW.-NW
ErullriScD letter.
T a woman was the only passenger in
a Montana stage except her baby, whom
she wrapped in her fur cloak, leaving