Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-06-14
DANGER IN THE COMMON CUP
The Seeds of Consumption
and Diphtherla
ATTEND THERlTEOF COMMUNION
The Calm Judgment of an
Experienced Scientist.
Professor Chester of the Delaware Experi-
mant station, Discusses the Question oil
the Common Communion Cup, and
Points Out the Grave Danger of the Pre-
yailing Custom--The Duty of the Clergy.

Editor Gazette Dc Journal: l have been
much interested in the interviews of
your paper upon the important ques-
ton of the use Of the common commun-
ion cup.
1t is to be regretted that any material
consideration should stand opposed to u
feature OF u sacrament so sublime
as the holy communion, yet it would
seem that our sacred rites should be so
ordered as TO secure complete harmony
between this material act and symbol,
and the spiritual ideal. Ii diseased
communicant.-personally ignorant, per-
haps OF his own condition-can so con-
taminate the cup as to pass material
suffering and death to his brother, an
element of discord is introduced. To
obey the laws of preservation and
cleanliness is, it seems to me, an essen
tial of morality, and in accord with the
hottest rites of the church. To shift the
responsibility by means of objections
on the grounds of impracticabllity or
by undertaking the warning of science,
will by no means lay the ghost for all
| time. On the contrary, it is bound to
rise, again and again, in the name OF
humanity and common sense.
Modern bacteriology is making rapid
advances, and much light is being
thrown upon the causation of disease
andits modes of infection. We are close
upon an age of general enlightenment
upon matters of sanitary science, when
greater safeguards for the protection of
| the public health will be acknowledgement
it may be, the adjustment of the COM
mon communion cup, as one of the
many causes of the spread of infectious
diseases.
To say that scientists are inclined t.
carry the germ theory of disease too fal
may allay for the time the fears of non
thinking folk, but no intelligent human
being has a right to shift his response
bility to his brother after this fashion
nor can he justify himself in con
tinued use Of the common communion
cup when science has proved it to bt
fraught with physical danger. Neither
should the subject be lightly dismissed
as undeserving of grave consideration
The disinterested warnings of science
are neither groundless nor trivial. 4
churchman may have reason to fear tn
wrath of God" if he turns his bacl
upon the Eight" of his generation,
; light bestowed by the reasonable de
yelopment of thought.
The disease which psychologists hav
uppermost in mind with relation to til
common communion cup is tubercu
losis, commonly called consumption.
has been known for some time that th
, sputum Tor saliva) Of persons sufferin
from this disease contains germs whic
, are the active agents of its spread, an
capable OF conveying the disease
healthy individuals. That people SUI
; fering with the earlier stages of TIL
disease, whose nature may not yet !
. recognized even by the sufferer himscl
a are frequently participants of the hol
communion cannot be disputed.
!, AS a professional bacteriologist | hay
D made many examinations of the sput
Il of consumptives, and am free to sa,
: from my own observations, that IL
. quantity of sputum Tor salival which
e consumptive patient might easily conve
n to q communion cup would be sutticier
y to contain all the way from few up
9 fifty or more consumption germs, and
!, advanced cases this number might Ri
s. much higher. do not mean to say TIL
!, any one partaking of cup thu
q infected would invariably contract Il
+ disease; but that serious danger turks
Il it, and that lives have been sacrificed
y it can be proved without doubt; knoN
ing, as we do, that the disease
g infectious, and can be carried by meal
10 of germs only.
The use of fair linen cloth wi
which to wipe the lip of the cup is n
a sufficient safeguard. The sterlizatio
u. of a surface, as all bacte-iologists knob
. cannot always be effected by me
"a wiping off, for while the bulk of /
"A fectious material may be removed,
"a few germs may remain which the clio
Ia fails to carry with it.
y In these remarks | have confin
a. myself chiefly to the dangers of tube
IN culosis infection, but the same argumen
"a may apply to pneumonia or diphther
m In the preliminary or the convalescc
&c STAGES of either of these diseases I
II victim may innocently approach t
# communion table, and just as innocent
Sc convey to his neighbor the seeds
IA agony and death.
IA Il would earnestly urge the publ
rs and especially the clergy, whose gra
No obligation it is, to give to this mat
,e before lightly dismissing it tn,
il thoughtful consideration. To weigh
he not in the balance of any one ma
or personal prediction in the matter, |
by the most recent developments
science. Thus only can the chur
demonstrate TO the world her sincere
gard for the bodily as we'll as
n spiritual welfare of her adherents.
I" FREDERICK ID. CHESTER,
Bacteriologist of Delaware Experimt
~ Station.