Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-12-13
TIE cuRsn OF KISSING.
Tobacco Chewers are the Greatest Kissers
OF Youthful Humanity.
Madica1

Tobacco Chewers are the Greatest Kissers
of Youthful Humanity.
Medical Record.
Properly applied, both as to time and
place, the participators being mutua ~
agreeable and fairly healthy, there is
little to be said against the kiss, practised
in moderation. When, however, one
party to the transaction is an infant, not
yet up in self-defence, or a maiden
whose resistance is OF no avail against
the physically stronger aggressor, or an
inanimate body prepared for burial, we
claim the right to champion their cause
against the reckless kisser. We have
little to say concerning that form of dis
ease known as kissing-fever, of which
instances are now and then reported,
especially from smaller towns. The
oyer-affectionate man. who turks in
lonely places aud pounces with his oscu-
lations upon unprotected women, with
out distinction as to size, age, or color,
belongs in the same mentally unbal-
anced class as the despoiler Of school
girl tresses, the destroyer OF white la wn
dresses, the ink throWer, the hugger-
and when still more deprayed-the rip
per.
w Z leave illtl W bu6 olilStIS VI LlG
law and the alienists, provided an out.
ragged brother, father, or husband has
not already attended to his case "out of
court" The child.kisser by habit
really does more harm than the lady
kisser by disease, for while the latter
shocks an occasional belated female on
a lonely road, the former is constantly
teaching the children with whom he
comes in contact that it is not wrong to
kiss comparative strangers, and most
dangerous, if not disgusting, habit is
| fostered.
Scientists have never yet discovered
why it is that syphilitics, tuberculons
| subjects, persons with very bad teeth,
| and tobacco chewers, are the greatest
kissers of infant and youthful humanity
and invariably lmplant their token of
affection directly upon the lips. Such,
| however, is the fact, as any careful
observer may discover for himself.
If there were any possibility of this
reaching those who alone could answer,
we would ask why the maiden aunt, who
never was very fond OF The children at
best. insists upon coming into the room
and kissing them as soon as they are
down with the scarlet fever, diphtheria,
measles or the mumps? Why must she,
who "neYer kissed living man" and
doesn't believe in kissing anyway, press
her lips to those OF some cold corpse
This death kiss may well be called q
sanitary sin, and unless we, as physi.
clans, continually discountenance it, Il.
well as put our face against sick bed
kissing, we must hold ourselves more
than equally responsible, for we know
the dangers better than they.
Sanitarians have tried many times te
introduce songs among the people tend.
ing TO offset and counterfeit that very
pernicious one which begins: "fhere j
no harm in kissing" but they have neyel
become popular.
Must we, then, leave the youngsters
in happy ignorance of mouth hygiene
Can we keep their innocent minds free
from thoughts of the bacilli swarmins
beyond the ruby lips? Should we eve
neglect an opportunity to strike at TIL
mouth which bears mucous patch, o
where turks the poison of phthisis or t,
defend the defenceless babe from tn
onslaughts OF the marie and female kisser