The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-08
Weekly Letter on
Municipal affairs
XVII. - SANITARY BARBER
SHOPS.

New lOTK, Dec. D.
- OS1ON IMPOSES stiff regulations upon its
II tonsoria artists, but Michigan has bar.
Id bers' commission which is even more rigid
in the application OF its restrictive rules.
The application of sanitary rules to the barber
shop has been so successful in Boston that the
question is being agitatcd in other New
England cities But the East is not leader in
this innovation, for Missouri, Minnesota and
Michigan have had state laws governing barber
shops for several years, the operation of which
has been most satisfactory.
The idea meets with the hearty approval of
the fraternity as class, for it has tendency
to strengthen prices and drive out the CHEAP
barber The executive board of the National Bar
bcrs' association is back of a strong movement
to secure the passage of laws similar to thos.
in operation elsewhere, in all the states of the
Union. A bill will he introduced in the Pennsyl-
vana legislature this winter and another in New
York which will provide for the rigid regulation
of all barber shops.
When speaking of the work in his state, Sec
retary =. NJ. Van Horn, of Benton Ilarbor, of the
Michigan BARRIERS commission, said: "Some Of
the questions asked applicants for license be-
fore the board of examiners may sound very sim
pie. hut they are important, nevertheless, and
must he answered intelligently before the coveted
license is granted. For instance, the barber is
apt to smile at the apparent simplicity of the
use? How are brstles fastened on the handler
"That's easy he says to himself; but the
answers are not always satisfactory. There are
certain kinds of handles that gather verdigrs
and other unhealthful accumulaions, and the
up.to.datc barber will use only those that have
proved the 6cs, and most cleanly.
"Anoher simple question is, what do you use
for washing lather from customers facc?' The
barber (and we occasionally find one) that writes,
lao Il, ,,l,,;,o 10
cut IL out right away, as most rcprehensible
practice and to provide clean towel for each
customer.
"The question: 'What do you use for applying
powder to a customers facc?' sometimes elcits
the answer, powder puffs This practice is also
condemned by the commission. There is no surer
method OF communicating skin diseases than by
the application of the same powder puff to each
customers face. The last examination form con.
sisted OF sixteen questions upon which the APP
plcant must secure percentage OF seventy. He
must be citizen Of the United States, tell how
long he has worked at the business, whether he
served as an apprentice under a regular barber
or Just picked mp his trade, whether he ever
worked in barber's college, which institutions
are not recognized by the profession; on what
kind Of a hone he prepares his razors for use,
what kind Of a solution he uses for disnfecting
his razors, clippers and shears; what he uses
for cleaning hair brushes, comb and shaving
brushes; how to stop the flow of blood in case a
customer is cut, and give his ideas on the best
remedies for treatment of skin and scalp diseases,
for faces with eruptions caused principally by
close shaving, for dandruf and for loss of hair
''rhe law" continued Mr., Van Horn, doesn't
expect n barber to be a physician but it does
expect him to be familiar with the best methods
Of preventing skin diseases by sterilzing his
tools, the use of proper anti.septics etc The
most important section of the law reads as fol.
lows:
"'Each applicant shall be examined concern
ing his ability to prepare and ft for Use the
| ordinary tools and utensils used by BARRIERS, in
cludins the proper antseptic treatment of razors,
| shears, clippers, brushes, combs shaving cups
and towels, the nature and eject OF eruptive and
other diseases of the skin and scalp, and whether
| the same are injections communicable. No
| person so examined shall receive the certificate
OF the beard unless he shall appear to be skilled
| in the use OF BARRIERS tools and possessed The
knowledge sufficient to prevent the spread by
| means OF barhers' tools and appliances Of erup-
tive and other diseases OF the skin and scalp.
No person 80 examined shall receive such certih-
cate who is at the time Of such examination an