St. Paul daily globe., 1895-05-10
ANTl-KISSiNG.
Medical Authority Backs DctrOit7s
Peculiar Club.

IeculIdE tlUD.
Detroit Special to Chicago Tribune)
Further inquiry into the report of the
anti-kissing club in this city shows
that none of the active promoters are
willing to have their identity disclosed
until the time for permanent and pub
lie organization arrives. 1t is learned
the movement really had it's inception
in the refusal of one lady at a small
social gathering to kiss little baby
Bessie of the hosts family because
the child had an liberated throat.
The mother was offended ct her guests
action and pointedly said so. A spirit
ed discussion took place in the party.
81 never heard of such nonsense"
said the mother. People have been
kissing each other since the world be-
gan, and l cannot see how a young
woman like you can hope to reform
the world" Replied the non-klssing
guest: 81 have simply reformed my
self. / kiss my own children very lit
tie, and L never kiss my husband on
the lips. Outside my home l never
kiss any one, nor allow even my rela-
tIves to kiss me if / can help it. | can
see nothing whatever in kissing; no
advantages, while there are scores of
disadvantages.
On the suggestion of a young man
present the anti-kissing idea was
nhally decided upon. II yas also ar
ranged that every person favoring the
movement should wear a small disk
OF red ribbon or a red button on the
coat lapel or the dress, as the case may
be. Any one may adopt the badge,
ana II 1t appears to the promoters
after time that the movement is
likely to be successful, a meeting will
be arranged and preliminaries gone
INTO for active missionary work
The movement has received very
hearty support from many of the lead
ing physicians of the city. Almost to
a man they pronounce against the
kissing habit. DIR. e. L. Shurley. one
of the best known throat and lung
specialists in the West, says: THE
sooner people are educated against
kissing the better for the community
at large. Frequently in my practive
L have been called to attend patients
suffering from the most revolving skin
and blood diseases, resulting from
kissing. Eczema and other chronic
skin troubles, cold sores, as they are
commonly called, diphtheria, thrush,
diseases of the tonsils and even tuber-
culosis have frequently produced cor
responding diseases in some one the
sick person has kissed
DR.. John e. Clark says Americans
can learn valuable lesson from the
! Japanese, for that people by law pro-
hibit kissing. "Most people," he con-
| tinued, ''are ignorant of the fact that
the lips are peculiarly sensitive. They
are covered with a mucous membrane
peculiarly susceptible to the active
| germs of disease. 1t will be a step In
| the progress of the nation when people
| stop kissing" DIR. e. w. jerks. of
| the local board of health, suggests
| law be made forbidding kissing during
the present epidemic Of diphtheria.
| DR.. e. l.. Younghusband calls atten-
! tion to the ridiculous habit some wom-
en- have of kissing dogs, cats and other
| animals. He says the tongues, mouths
and noses of such pets are frequently
| covered with the eggs of the tape
| worm, and through the lips of the
kisser are carried into their systems.