Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-07-19
Deadly Microbes May Infest the street
Sins,

Deadly Microbes May infest the street cay
slips.
Baltimore Sun.
Deadly microbes Turk in street car
transfers. This IL the opinion of men
who have made study of bacteria.
On Sunday of last week an entirely
new system CT transfers went into effectX
in Baltimore, and lust so lar as the
transfer service was increased, Just that{
far, say the doctors, has the dangerI
grown. Thus the question just raised
10 New York applies in Baltimore.
Dread tuberculosis, diphtheria andy
blood diseases are 10 be feared from they
handling Of the apparently innocent andy
harmless piece of paper, un less the con-
duotors on the street railway lines in ]
Baltimore are more healthy than any&
other class OF people.
Contagious diseases, too, physiciansY
say, can be communicated through theI
transfer, though the danger is consid-1
eraEly less than it is in the case OF theJ
deadly tuberculosis.
Those who ride in street cars proba-
bly, have noted that the conductors
often wet the finger and thumb with
saliva in order to facilitate the separa-
tion Of the slips. Often, too, in a great
rush conductor will tear off bunch
OF transfers, and then, being compelled
TO stop or start his car and perhaps
assist lady off or mike change, will
thrust the bunch momentarily into his
mouth. Here Is the secret In the
saliva which vets the paper, there may
Turk microbes which will cause dis
ease and death. OF course, il the con-
ductor be healthy there is not so much
danger, but even then the habit is de-
nounced by doctors as pernicious.
1t is conceivable that among the large|
number of men employed upon cais
| there is Mt least rs great percentage
Of disease as among any other class OF
| men.
DR.. Norman MacL. Harris OF Johus
Hopkins University, pathologist and
baoteriologist and a recognized author
ity upon matters pertaining to the
spread cf.disease by microbes, said last
night;.
observation that Baltimore conductors
are addicted to the habit of putting
transfers into their mouths If they
do it is a pernicious habit. am
usually loath to permit the use of my
name in the daily papers, but in this
matter am earnestly convinced that
. LTt puDllC ouUulu 10 ouuOdbou w q
realization of the danger they are incur
ring. Infection often comes in rather
4 d roundabout way. One might use a
handkerchief soon after handling an in
fected transfer and in this way inocu-
late himself with disease. Again, a
man might iull or handle cigarette
after handling an infected transfer and
the disease be started that way. 1t
must come through the organs OF
respiration.
@.'There are numerous methods by
which the bacteria might be transferred
and disease started. As to the general
health of conductors cannot speak,
but ouly short time ago the eminent
German pathclogist, Prof. Maggie ad
vanoed the theory that every living
person who attains the age of 40 years
has at some time been iGooulated OF
infected with tuberculosis. Some may
throw i. off, if they have the strength
and other conditions are favorable
Prof. Naegle's theory was formed aftel
a lie study of bacteria and after care
, full examination of the subjects of son
3 autoEsies, each of which showed trace
! of having at some time been infected.
ct is certain that transfer slips cal
carry disease as we'll as money can
though have never traced any one dis
ease or case to that particular source.
III money, you know, is a constan
source of infection, more especially !
:. put in the mouth for even a few seconds
!, This applies, of course, to paper money
Z A friend of mine has killed rabbits
. cats and even dogs with cultures tskel
a from paper money.
II do not see why cultures from
{ transfer slip would not work equally a
: much harm. 1t is certainly disgusting
il aside from the dangerous side of thu
+ question, to have 10 handle money Q
4 transfer upon which there may b
Z tho saliva of some other person. jus
3 how to stop it in the case of tue trans
!, fer ! cannot tell.
q "There can be no Doubt in the worl
that disease is spread in this manner
i more especially tuberculosis, blood dis
:. eases and diphtheIia. In q very stroD
man il might take few years to-dt
!, yelop tuberculosis fully from thi
m source, but as general rule shoul
" say it would come in year II the II
\ lection be thorough. II the habit hs
n. become as general as you say som
le means of stopping it should |
d adopted"
ar New York has Recently become som,
IA what agitated over the question, for
has become public that one street ca
conductor who was addicted 10 IL
habit of wetting his finger 10 pull o
transfers was suffering from a tubero'
q lous ulcer OF the tongue IL disea
m can be spread this way it would see
la that persons who travel on street Ca
should refuse to accept transfer whit
~ has been wet IN this manner and d
= mand another.
s. DIR. Harris asserts that the habit
"a just rs pernieious and vile as that
expectorating ON the floor Of the car
- This difference is that in most citi
:. the latter habit is made violation
y law punishable by fine Or Imprisonment
=, while the car conductor can wet all L
,cs transfers he wants to and no one max
hne complaint. .-.