The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-15
HERE'S A BAD MESS.
A Disagreeable and Alarming Dis
ease Breaks Out
IN SEVERAL TOPEKA BARBER SHOPS


y Some stupidity or carelessness in a GER
tain barber shop in this town has started
a disease among the patrons of several
barber shops that is just now causing
alarm among all those who shave. It is
not known exactly which shop it origina-
ted in, although it has been allowed TO go
on until now cases of it can be traced to
three or four shops in the city.
There seems to be a difference of opin-
ion among the BARRIERS as to the cause of
the erupLions. 1t has appeared only
within the past two weeks. 1t begins
with "breaxiug OUT of red pimples on
the face and neck and these soon become
sores. Those atf1 .cted, with one accord,
say that it is due to the carelessness of
the BARRIERS where they were shaved in
not properly cleaning their razors or
washing their faces with a towel that
had been used to wipe some other mans
face with.
The belief of the sufferers is that some
man wao was the victim of loathsome
disc ass had been shaved and either from
the razur OF the towel the disease in sec
ondary form had been communicated.
The accused BARRIERS are naturally in
Gignant and say that no such state of aft
fairs could come from careiessness on
their part
Oae barber said: "There are several
young men suffering with a peculiar
breaking out just now on their faces
but it Is the condition Of their own blood
and not any disease they contracted by
shaving at barber shop.
Look at all of Us boys. in this shop.
We shave with these razors, use our
towels and mugs and not u one of us
have the breaking out mplained of.
doctors tell US it is new disease that
q arnn0H nd a harhora
more to blame than the man in the
MOON
At one of the most centrally located
shops in the city the BARRIERS said they
had no cases of the kind mentioned re-
sulting from their shaving. but had heard
of cases at other shops and had also
heard that it was communicated by shay
ing a Inau poisoned with ivy, and also
that ne was suffering from a loathsome
disease and not poison ivy. They thought
that this was a mistake, and that it was
simply the condition of the persons
blood and not the fault of any barber
Another barber said: e.Its all owing 20
the new tangled notions some BARRIERS
nave gotten into. They shave d man
very closely and then put some fancy
perfumed water on his face rather than
bay rum. He goes out in the wind aud
his neck Immediately assumes red and
blotched appearance"
But the cases mentioned are much too
severe to have come from any chatihg of
wind OF exposure to the weather.
So far the disease has not appeared in
any shops below Sixth street. There
will be undoubtedly big demand for
private mugs as Il result Of the outbreak.
DR.. L. NJ. Powell examined one of the
afflicted victims this morning in the pres
eGce of a STATE JOURNAL porter.
Tho 7au'S f.1o h SiN or haA
sores on it OF a red and angry appear
ance, with dark scab on it,
The man was very bitter in speaking of
the case and said ITS 4 shame to have
fellows face il such a condition. l
| know just how l got this. Last Monday
week 1 went into certain barber shop
and got shaved very close, and the bar
Der nicked my chin just trIfle with the
razor and it bled. Tbs next morning
there was a scab on it.
81 went again Wednesday and got
shaved. and the following morning there
were these other sores on my face.
at is not confined to that shop. nor to
me. l know Of two other shops in town
where men got shaved in the past week
whose faces are worse than mine"
DR.. Powell took his tweezers, pulled
them under the microscope. After
lief.
Luckily for you, and Others it is not
what you think" he said. at is not the
secondary form of n loathsome disease.
1t is contagious disease, however,
spread by the use of the razor or towel.
"If it was the worst disease man can
be afflicted with there would be only one
sore on the face rather than six or seven
and it would be Of different appear
| ance.
"Such cases are often communicated
by using a needle to pluck out hair on
some persons face or open a little
pimple. Then it is wiped off and used
on another person.
"Wiping off needle does not sterilizs
it nor razor. They should be boiled
after using, as should the towels.
This disease OF the blood is u serious
! inconvenience, but can be easily cured"
In some barber chops in this town it
| is customary for BARRIERS to wash Gus
toner's face with the same towel that the
other man'e face was wiped with. This
is not done in many shops, but few do
! it. Every customer ought to abandon
| shop where this is done. If shop can't
| furnish two clean towels to every Gus
| toner, and make money it ought to raise
| the price of shaving to 10 cents or go
out of business
N aStineSS ana caroIeSSneSS IN barber
| shop has no excuse. There are barber
shops in Topeka where the brushes are
so care!essly cleansed that they smell
musty.
Tnere are a number of dirty journey
men BARRIERS, whom their employees ought
to discharge, but they are permitted to
| s'gaum" over customers and stick their
| fingers in their mouths until the custom
ers leave in disgust for some other shop.
Bath tubs-in some shops-are left in
charge of lazy coIored men VINO don't
half wash them out. Towels that one
man has wiped on are spread out in front
| of the bath tub for the next customer to
step out on.
People with granulated eyelide are
shaved, and in some cases the towel is
rubbed over another mans face. All
/ this onght TO be stoppe0 BY the clean