Smyrna times., 1898-02-23
DANGER IN A SHAKE,
A LEARNED DlSQUlSlTION ON DIS
EASE TRANSFER.

Microbes of Every Kind Find Lodement
In the Skin-Contact Even of the Clean.
ly May Spread COntagion-Serious Re
suits From Hand Clasping.
Is it possible for one man to commu-
nlcate disease to another by the shaking
of hands?
II this question be true, should the
custom be abandoned or should it be
modified under medical instruction so
as to minimize the danger?
The existence of micro-organisms
lnimical to life and health has been es-
tablished beyond dispute DR.. Breiter
1ounds his thesis, recently printed in
The Medical Record, on this hvpothe-
Sis. But his leading point, insisted IN
ON with much force, is the danger which
Is hidden in the apparently harmless
and sometimes pleasing custom of shak
ing hands. He says:
That the surface of the human body
is very hotbed for the propagation of
a great variety of micro-organisms
Fuerbinger, Mittman, Bizzozero. Ma
glora and Welch have elucidated most
conclusively. 1t is certainly beyond the
shadow of doubt that in the presence
OF predispOsing factor and sometimes
even without that the microbic diseases
are ushered into existence by their indi-
vldual prototypes, this being essentially
brought about by contact in some wav
OF the two contingent forces. Modern
surgery is founded ON this principle.
The carefulness with which we prepare
our hands and surgical instruments be-
fore and after a surgical operation we'll
eXemplifies the Importance of famil.
larlty with its dangers in every sense.
1--WE recognize that many of our mi
crobic diseases, especially of the exam
thematic type, eliminate their toxic ele-
ment very largely through the medium
of the skin, which undergoes extensive
extoliatiOn, disseminating the poison far
and wide. Isolation is resorted TO and
enforced most vigorously, thereby check.
ing the spread of the disease, and then
disinfectants lavishly used cause the de-
structiOn of the offending armies. In
the era Of scientific prophylaxis conse-
quent upon the introduction of the mi
croscope, bacteriology and antiseptics
we find a steady decline of epidemics
either developing in the outer world or
IN our hospital wards Yet accidental
1noculations of tuberculosis, smallpox
and vaccinia, as well as more horrible
diseases, still exist and are but demon
strations of either an unavoidable cause
or faulty observance of established
data.
DR.. Breiter gives a thorough discus
sion as to what may be the result of con-
tact of the hands. He declares that with
men who are of cleanly habits, but who
have acquired disease and such as they
would wish to hide from their fellow
men, the specific bacillus of this disease
has been found in filth collected from
the hand. He has found tubercle bacilli
i'll the dirt taken from the hand of the
man suffering from tuberculosis, the
KIebs-Loetfier micrObe among cases of |
diphtheria and had no doubt |
that the specific germs of every microbio
disease may and world be found in mil
lions ON the surfaces of the hands if |
proper experimentation were made. He
as follows:
MANY victims of scarlet fever, both |
in the early and desquamative stages,
tho latter, are walking the
streets Of every large city ready to in.
graft upon tho moist hand Of any chance |
acquaintance the prolific virus of the
disease. The same may be said of per-
sons with pulmonary tuberculosis,
whose hands and handkerchiefs, through
constant wiping of the mouth, are foul
and saturated with the bacteria laden
of the disease. Tubercu-
losis of the hand, the lesion large or
small in area, often painless and un-
as such for long while and
perhaps untreated, is by no means an
nfrequent occurrence. Scabies, we
know, has marked prediction for the
hand. Need l mention others? Now
whether these conditions are the result
0f hand to hand contact or not does not
matter. The conditions themselves are
dangerous elements, and it is tho con-
;ideration of such factors in the causa-
ion of disease that we are studying
"Of course the mucous membrane
ierves as a better pabulum for the inva-
iion and development of micro organ.
SINS, but the skin is not absolutely neg.
Itive in that respect, and if it were it
would make little difference, as the
wo, skin and mucous membrane. are
'ery often in close opposition with each
,ther We know that tho hand has car.
led bacteria to the mouth, disseminat.
ng contagion i'll that way Typhoid fe.
'er Asiatic cholera, diphtheria and 9th.
II diseases are known to have been pro.
luced that way Why search througb
medical libraries for similar and nor.
laps more conclusive evidence? The
ubject has passed the stage of novelty
10 while we professional people are Inv
eason OF our profession forced To invite
md then 70 battle-for we have antisen.
ics-with these enemies, there is no
eason why we should unneoessariIv and
Inder the cloak of custom invite them
nd then leave them to do their harm.
Some may look upon this subject
With derision. Nevertheless the truth is
his: No matter how small the percent
go OF evil consequences arising from
a.a.a.