The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1894-07-14

OF the mouth-plece OF the telephone as
to receive and transmit the vibrations
OF sound produced by the voice Of the
speaker. The space between the disk,
or diaphragm, and the mouth-piece is
infinitesimal, but nevertheless large
enough to afford lodgomtnt to myriads
of bacteria, which propagate with more
or less rapidity, according to their kind,
and thus the user of the telephone is
exposed to the influence Of the death
dealing atoms. The public telephones
are the most dangerous, as they are
used by all manner of people-the igno-
rant as well as the intelligent, the sick
as well as the healthy. It is not an IN
common thing to see a man trying to
talk into q telephone while he is masti-
eating the last bite of his monday
sandwich. He does not know that he
may be sowing the seeds Of disease.
The meat Of the sandwich may. be
slightly tainted, in which case if a
particle Of it finds a Nesting place in
side the transmitter, the bacteria there
have rare banquet, and the process Of
multiplication goes Oh there at an
alarming rate. The person using the
instrument has only to sit with his
mouth close to the transmitter while
awaiting central" or the person on the
other end. This waiting may extend
over several minutes. In the mean
time the odors Of the transmitter are
being inhaled, charged, as the may be-,
with fatal particles, and, on the other
hand, II the operator is afflicted with a
contagious disease, he may be breath
ing the germs of it in the diaphragm.
In this way a varied collection of
bacteria are deposited within the
mouth piece, and any person who has
predisposition to a certain disease
or is in a favorable condition for con-
tracing it, is likely to find there multi
tudes of sympathetic bacteria, alert
and eager to fulfill their mission.
Te1esraphy Under Trying Condi-
tions.
Lieut.. Col. Wells gives a. lively sketch
OF the little experiences which break,
sometimes a trihe too roughly, the
monotony Of the life of a telegrapher
in a Persian city. In Shiraz an old pal
ace does duty as telegraph Office, one
end being occupied by the British,
and the other by the Persian admins
tratlon. A square in front Of the palace
is favorite site for political and other
disturbances, and in times of popular
excitement the first point to which the
the crowds gravitate is the Persian tele-
graph Office. The popular leader de-
n.ands that & petition embodying the
wrongs Of the citizens shall be diis-
patched to the shah. If g. reply is
not quickly forthcoming, the mob usual
ly clears out the officials and smashes
up the instruments. A move is then
made for the British office, and a mes
sage is dictated to the superintendent,
Who has to forward it to- the director
in Theran. This functionary hands
copies Of it to her British nlajesty's s
minister, the grand vizier, and the Per
sian minister Of telegraphs, and con
suits with them W h view to obtain
ing protection for his staff. The posi-
ton in which the senior British tele-
graph official at the sending station is
placed, in the meantime, is that of a
hostage In the hands of the mob. In
q very serious riot, which occurred last
year the superintendent at Shiraz was
so detained, and was not allowed to
leave the office precincts for five days.
The local governor was powerless to
afford protection, as his troops, seeing
the chance Of a few days relaxation,
with a dash of mild excitement thrown
in, had promptly fraternized with the
insurgents at the beginning Of the out
break. The tact of the superintendent
served him in good stead during this
trying ordeal, through which not u
moments delay occurred to the interna-
tional messages, and not the slightest
damage was done to the Office. A few
years ago less fortunate outcome of
such a difficulty could have been ex-
pected. The civilizing effect of the In
do-European telegraph is remarkable,
and it is said that the honest dealings,
quiet lives and charitable actions of the
medical officers and others of the staff
have done much to win the good will
Of the inhabitants.