The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-02

danger is too evident and disgusting to
need cautioning against their use, and the
same applies to public towels, a public
convenience, perhaps, but a common
source, even today, of the itch, or worse
diseases. To wipe the hands upon them
is bad enough but to wipe the face and
eyes Is counting trouble of a serious kind.
Common drinking cups may be source
OF lnfeo%:on as well as of a cooling or
eAhllarating draught, as the case NAV
De, and this applies just as mucn if not
more so TO communion cups, used it is
rue, IN holy cause, but none the less
nhely TO serve a most wicked purnose
In TACT any article touched by the Inns
or hands that passes from one person
70 aioother may convey contagious virus
~ 81 nileeuous germs. Nor is it necessary
TO even touch such articles.
=
Library books are no doubt. often con
Veyors Of disease, and, although libra
rams nave been frequently urged by
sanItarlans to adopt some method Of
dls1nfecting books, few, if any. have see,
NJ TO do so, although there is a cheaD
harmless and efffcacious method of SO
doing by formaldehyde
Even articles that are in n sensa nri
Fate property are possible factors in dis
ease causation. Postage stamps. for
example, and other gummed articles no.
tably the flap of an envelope are fer
Tile helds for the growth of germs that
may be blown or otherwise implanted
upon the gummed surface, the danger
oelng increased from the liability that
the tongue may be cut by the paper
edge in moisteing them. The person
who uses his tongue to moisten stamne
and the like may be infected or inocn-
lated as effectually as if the poison was
injected.
The time will come when the individual
Will have his individual objects of daily
use: Even In the household it is wise
10 nave ones own towel, soap, sponge,
and the like, for the toilet. Surely ev-
eryone, nowadays, has his or her own
toothbrush and comb and brush. At the
table the fad of having individual cups
and saucerS, and other ware, Is a sensi-
bic one, though not necessary one in
| most cases. but if there Is any person
in the family affected with disease, es-
peclally consumption, and the like it is
apsoIutely necessary that that person
have his or her own dishes, of such a
distinctive pattern that they can not be
mistaken
kissing has been a much-discussed
question, and while sentiment defends the
practice hygiene is in favor of abolishing
1t, at least as mark of public affection
Many an infant who has been given a
kiss of affection has in reality been
/ given the kiss of death, and in adult life.
! serious diseases, If not fatal ones, have
! been transmitted by the kiss of one sup
| posed to be pure, yet saturated with
| disease. Doubtless the crusade against
/ kissing has been carried to an absurdity
but promiscuous kissing, aside from its
! indelicacy, is dangerous.
Some even carry their dread of germs
so far as to refuse to shake hands with
any one for fear of contamination; re-
fusal which only creates ridicule and
contempt although it is founded on sound
| reasons. When the dread of germs
reaches such a stage it becomes mono
| mania or phobia, an abnormal fear and
makes life miserable not only to the
individual but to his or her friends The
victim breads to touch anything of any
| description even the hand rail of a car
| or newspaper, and objects even within
the nome seem to swarm with disease
! germs. The hands are washed after
handling any object with the same
maniacal zeal as that exercised by LADY
| Macbeth in her attempts to move the
imaginary blood stains that imbued her
hands. The victim goes to extraordinary
measures to avoid ever-suspected con-
/ toSAO1A anu lI1ScllOH anu denies COM
mon necessities to himself and those
around him. Such condition is mani
testify uncomfortable, if not painful, to
! all concerned but there is no need to
carry precaution to this extent.
Moderation in precaution is a safeguard
against disease not only of a contagious
nature hut of all disease. Proper pre-
| caution, for example, warns a person
against sitting in a draught when per
spring; 1t is well known to all that a
disregard of this precaution inevitably
brings on cold and perhaps pneumonia
| or other lung or throat trouble It is
not SO well known that breathing through
the nose is safeguard against CATCHING
cold. It warns the inspired air and
thus prevents its chilling the tissues and
1t also, by means Of the hairs In the