The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-07
THE DEADLY TOWEL.
Disease Turks I'm the Innocent Look
ing Fabric.

ing Fabric.
This is matter for serious coDsid
Grafton. Too many people in hotels,
restaurants, and business offices use
the same towel. 1t hangs up in the
common lavatory; seems a great con-
venience. yet may be source Of very
serious disease. We have known of
certain instances that were startling to
the sufferers. A writer in the "Chris-
tian Secretary thoughtfully reviews
the matter, and what he says is worthy
wide distribution
IA case Of infectious disease for
which the physicians could not in any
way account, recently gave start to All
investigation that ought to interest all
persons who find it necessary to use
toilet appliances outside of their own
dwelling. Being of an inquiring turn
Of mind, and having known the family
in all of its branches, the doctor was a
little curious as to the source of the in
fection. He finally learned that in the
same Office where his patient was en-
ployed was janitor who was suffering
from this disease. From this point it
was not difficult to track the cause Of
the trouble. The doctor dropped in at
the office one day just before closing
he secured the soiled towels. These
he subjected to a thorough eXamina-
ton, and found flourishing colony OF
disease bacili of the sort he was seek
ing. This was an incentive to further
research, and the clean towels were
examined. These were furnished by a
company that supplied thousands of
towels all over the city. Half dozen
were examined, with no results beyond
few harmless microbes, but later a
very innocent-looking, clean white one
was found to be veritable hotbed Of
disease germs of the most horrible de-
scription. Then the inquiry proceeded
% to why this should be, when it was
found that very many towels are
turned in at the laundry with scarcely
an appearance of soil about them.
'To make work easy, these are some
times merely run through a suds,
rinsed, died and mangled.
"In one case profuse crops Of pim-
Piles was traceable to the use of one of
these towels when the body was heated
and the face moist with perspiration.
Because one is unable to see these Or
ganisms is no sign that they do not ex-
ist in deadly numbers.
"Itis said by some observing medical
men that skin diseases have increased
in cities in mos: startling proportions
since the custom came about of supply
ing office towels from general depot.
If this proves to be the case, then what
has been regarded as very great con-
venience will be Stunned by all intelli-
gent people. That there is grave dan.
ger from this source is evident from one
or two instances that have come under
the notice of the profession.
"a towel showing very slight stain
not enough to cause the casual observer
to think of investigating twas the
object of suspicion to a microscopist.
The spot was cut out and subjected to
the culture process. AS soon at it came
in contact with moisture, the spot,
which had been ironed down smooth
and fiat, swelled to prodigious proper
tions, and was found to contain enough
disease matter to inoculate hundred
persons.
"There are but two remedies for this
sort of things. One is, let every person
take his own towel and use no other, or
to insist that all such articles be washed
by steam process at the highest posi-
bic temperature. This is the only way
to make these things safe, and until
this is done it is impossible to predict
when we may find ourselves afflicted
with virulent and malignant dis
cases."