The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-14
THE PERIL OF A KISS.
A Newspaper Writer Discusses the
Latest Medical Fad.

What is the matter with the doctors? What
is all this trumpery about the perils of kissing
Haven't they done enough mischief in The
world already? Haven't they told us TO our
sorrow that we have a vermform appendix
concealed in our Intervals? And haven't they
cC2xed us In manv ridiculous instances to
allow them TO cut it ont and cut US of
az the same time? Haven't they sent
US away on long and expensive aud
needless journeys and exied US from
our friends and homes, and put us ont to grass,
when all we needed was slap on the back and
little SplfltS al regular intervals poured over
our qunne? And after all these professional
dldoes, when we have mutinied against theiI
OPPRESSION shall they come 10 Us In our sweet
est private relations and tell US that must let
np on our kissing and stop distributing germs
anu DaclIll I'D Inc manner sanction by usage
and the recognized conventions OF good Soci-
ETY.? Shall We as men and women OF the first
ana second part submit to such arbitrary dicta
ton? Certainly not.
Now there is no possible objection on the
part OF the public a. large 10 the practice of
seIf-dEnial by the medical profession in the
malter OF kissing, though II is related of this
noble profession that 1t has gallautly con-
trlbuted It's ample proportion of bacii in the
good od-fashioned way. But what man of
sc ntlment, OF good taste and. what is more to
lib point, OF opportunity is going 10 relinquish
prerogatiVe that has come 10 him as a BIRTH
right?
OF course kissing like quail-eating and in
dugeuce in other IuxuIie les, may be OVerdone.
The indiScrlminate kissing Of a baby the
meaningless oscillation of two womeu-tnesp
are proper subjects for reform, 1t is well
enough also 10 practice measure of restraint
In tn kiss between the sexes, even where
relations sanction unlimited emotion. But 10
make an lronclad rule, TO say hat we shall not
kiss because the Japanese do not approve of
1t, Is to say that the Mohammedan shall
not pray three times a day because
we think we have put in a good days
work II we pray once. Many nations 10 the
orient have different bygienlc customs from our
Own, but Is NOT likely that in most cases they
spring from hygieDic reasons. Ordinary com
mon sense Will regulate kissing as it governs
other pleasures In life. The Octogenarian
grandmother who passes quietly away full of
years and kisses might have died sixty years
before had she happened 10 KISS the wrong
parry. She might also have been crushed TO
death had she stood under a house when iG
tuIDbled Gown. But she took her reasona BILE
chances and was none the worse for them.
The anUkiSsing crusade as a hygienic meas.
ure IS likely 10 be successful only 10 a re-
stricted sense. he Caucasian race has been
educated 20 the kiss. and centuries OF practice
and comparative exemption from ills are not
going TO be overcome by ne dictum OF a few
enthusiastic scientists. who ar probably the
very last to pr ctee what they preach. The
kiss Is decidedly the most agreeable and salts
factory way OF expressing the sentiments of
love and affection, ana is rule perfectly
harmless and safe. At all events, until science
can substitute something as agreeable and eX-
pressiVe il Will be futile to preach baclii 10 the
most enlightened race on the globe. The KISS
has come TO Stay.-kansas City Star