Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-03-22
IMAGINARY PERlLS-
A Few Words About Persons Who soel
Notoriety by Magnifying Trifics.

A Few Words About Persons Who Sock
Notoriety by Magnlfying Trincs.
The person who, as n scientist or q
speculator in theories, is engaged In
periodically trying TO frighten people
out OF their wits by giving publicity
to possible perils to health and life, Is
very uncomfortable and disturbing
member OF the human family, and we
can not but question the genulneness
OF his pretensions to scientific or ra-
tional soundness. The latest instance
OF the periodical alarms sounded by
this class OF individuals is that Of tho
attempt TO get up panic against the
useful and indispensable POSTAGE
stamp, which is accused OF being an
agent by which contagious diseases
are spread. The alarmist gravely tells
us that the person inclosing within a
letter postage-starnp for reply usu-
ally applies his tongue or his lips to
one corner OF its adhesive side, and
then, II he happens TO have disease
germs In his saliva, may unconsciously
communicate q contagious ailment 70
the receiver Of the epistle, who, when
fastening the stamp on the outside OF
the reply. applies tho tongue or his
lips 10 tho adhesive side which his cor
respondent Ind partly moistened In
like manner. Doubtless the cloanliest
md the best way TO moisten the I'D
hesive parts OF postage-stamps or en-
velopes, or TO irritate the point OF q
lead pencil. is 10 use wet sponge for
the purpose, instead OF the mouth; but
that is moro matter OF neatness than
OF hygienic precaution. for II every
body who licks his postage
stamps or his envelopes whom
ever he mails letter should
run the risk OF absorbing disease
germs, the probability is that about
ninety-nine persons In every hundred
OF letter-writors would be In jeopardy.
They all do it" and always will.
Wet sponges are not always at hand
when persons prepare their letter for
the mail. and most persons would not
bethlnk themselves 10 use them II they
were
But why try to frighten people by
magnifying dangers? The person ap-
plying his tongue to postage-stamp
runs no more risk OF catching a con-
tagious disease than he does OF being
crushed TO death under falling wall
while passing along the street. A wall
falls occasionally, but very few people
come TO their death by falling walls
So with postage-stamps; n hundred
thousand or more OF them are moist
ened with the tongues OF men, women
and children every day, yet probably
not one case OF disease resulting there
from occurs In year or in q dozen
years We are In more daily peril
from lightning, earthquake, and storm
than from postage-stamps. Somebody
not long ago tried TO frighten the pub
lie out OF It's senses by declaring that
the money OF the country-paper money
and coin-passing from hand to hand
daily and hourly, is a distributor OF
contagious diseases, but we have not
learned that any body has scared
worth cent? or become any less eager
10 get hold OF the circulating medium.
The truth is. there are very many
possibilities OF accident disease and
death all around us and continually
threatening ues. but there Is no use OF
getting frightened-n sense Of work.
ing ourselves into n state OF treplda-
tion and misery every hour in the day.
or OF keeping ourselves in state OF
fidgets all the days OF our lives, on
that account We have to run risks
very often, or we will become mere no.
bodys and nothing. "Noshing vent
ured, nothing gained" is proverb
that Is as old as human progress and
as sensible as II Is old. The people
who are continually afraid OF possi-
Bile eventualities OF disastrous kind
are very miserable creatures, and those
others who are continually setting up
scare-crows, jnventing spooks or con-
cocting imaginary Ills TO humanity arc
worse than were Jobs comforters.
They might be In better business. -
Chicago Journal.