The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-01-07
THE WORLD OF GERMS.

unsupported Microscopic Caverns in
Which They Lurk in Vast Numbers
Even so simple a matter as borrow
ing lead pencil may lead to the dis
semination Of disease in family.
Among children especially swapping
pencils is one method Of showing good
fellowship, and the child who swaps
Is sometimes the innocent cause Of
transmitting sore throat, skin disease
or diphtheria to his best friend. The
use Of public pencils is Also no doubt.
responsible for the transmission of dis
case from one to another, the danger
being far greater when person moist
| ems the lead in the mouth. Aside from
being filthy habit, this Is dangerous
one in any case, for the lead Is COM
paratively rough and has cavities which
are to the germs as vast caves In which
they Turk and from which they may be
transferred to the mucous membranes
| through which disease enters most
| readily into the system
AS for penholderS, they are much
more commonly used by many persons
and the danger of transmission of dis
ease germs by them Is therefore greater
AT the hotel counter and a bank desk
penholders are handled by thousands
in the course of few days, and of this
number some may and do have skin
disease, at least, which may be conta-
gious and are thus transferable to
others 1t would not be great tax
upon the larger establishments at least
to have cheap penholders In such guam
tity that each person could have new
one, but the remedy Is much simpler.
Fountain pens are cheap enough, nova
days, to allow every business man and
woman to own one, but II that Is not
possible a pocket penholder Is certainly
within the means of all. Blotting paper,
too, on public desks bears its own evil
dence of soiling many hands and from
its absorbent nature 1t is especially
congenial to germ elements.
AS for the public combs and brushes,
the danger is too evident and disgust
ing to need advice against their use,
and the same applies to public towels;
public convenience, perhaps, but
common source. even today, of the itch |
or worse diseases. To wipe the hands |
upon t. EN- Is bad enough, but to wipe |
the face and eyes is counting serious |
trouble.
Common drinking cups may be q
source of infection as well as of a cool |
ing or exhilrating draught, as the case |
may be, and this applies just as much,
If not more So to communion cups,
used 1t is true, in a holy cause, but
none the less likely to serve most
wicked purpose. In fact, any article
touched by the lips or hands that passes
from one person to another may convey
virus or infectious germs.
Nor Is it necessary to even touch such
articles
Library books are no doubt often con-
veyers of disease, and although librar-
ans have been frequently urged by SAM
tarians to adopt some method of disin-
fecting books, few If any have seen
fit to do so, although there is a cheap,
harmless and efficacious method of so
doing by formalehyde.
Even articles that are, in sense,
private property are possible factors
n disease causation. Postage stamps,
or example, and other gummed arti-
lies, notably the flap of an envelope ]
ire fertile fields for the growth of
germs that may be blown or otherwise
implanted upon the gummed surface, |
he danger being increased from the liza
,ility that the tongue may be cut by
he paper edge in moistening them. The
person who uses his tongue to moisten
tamps and the like may be infected or 4
nocuated as effectually as If the poi
on was injected.
The time will come when the individ-
al will have his individual objects in
aily use. Even in the household it is
wise to have ones own towel, soap,
PONCE and the like for the toilet. Sure !
Y every one, nowadays, has his or her i
wn toothbrush, and comb and brush
It the table the fad of having in
ividual cups and saucers and other
rare is a sensible one, though not a
ecessary one in most cases, but If there