The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-07-12
LARS OF THE GERMS.
Unsupported Microscopic Cavities in
which They Lurk in Large
Numbers.

Even so simple a matter as borrow
ing lead pencil may lead to the
dissemination of disease in a family.
Among children especially swap
ping" pencils is one method of show
ing 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 disease from. one to
another, the danger being far greater
when person moistens the lead in
the mouth. Aside from being a
filthy habit, this is a dangerous one
in any case, for the lead is compare
lively 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.
says a medical authority.
As for penholders, they are much
more commonly used by many per-
sons, and the danger of transmission
of disease germs by them is there
| fore greater. At the hotel counter
and the bank desk penholders are
handled by thousands in the course
of a few days, and of this number
some may and do have skin diseases
at least which may be contagious
and are thus transfera BILE to others.
Il no, ha
larger establishments at hast to
have cheap penholders in such guam
tity that each person could have a
new one, but the remedy is much
simpler. Fountain pens are cheap
enough nowadays to allow every bust
ness man and woman to own one,
but If 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 absorbing nature 1t is es-
pecially congenial to germ elements.
As for public combs and brushes,
the danger is too evident and dis
gushing 10 need advice against their
use, and the same applies to public
towels-a public convenience, per-
haps. but common source even to-
day of the itch or worse diseases.
TO wipe the hands upon them is bad
enough, but to wipe the face and
eyes is counting serious trouble.
Common drinking cups may be
source of infection as well as of
: cooling or eXhilarating draft, as the
case may be, and this applies just as
much if not more so to communion
cups used, it is true, in holy cause,
J but none the less likely to serve
! most wicked purpose. In fact, any
article touched hy the lips or hands
that passes from one person to an
other may convey contagious virus
| or infectious germs. -,or is it nee
eSsary to even tough articles,
| Library books are no doubt often
conveyers of disease, and although
librarians have been frequently
urged by sanitarians to adopt some
method of disinfecting books, few if
any have seen fit to do so, although
there is a cheap, harmless and eff
cacious method of so doing by for
maldehyde.
! Even articles that are in q sense
private property are possible factors
III disease causation. Postage stamps,
| for example, and other gummed ar
ticles, notably the flap OF An en-
velope, are fertile fields for the
growth of germs that may he blown
or otherwise implanted upon the
gummed surface, the danger being
increased from the liability that the
tongue may be cut by the paper edge
in moistening them. The person
who uses his tongue to moisten
stamps and the like may be infected
or inoeulated as effectually as if the
poison were injected.
| The time will come when the indi=
vidual will have his individual OBJ
| .jects of daily. use. Even in the house
| hold it is wise to have ones own
! towel, soap, sponge and the like for
the toilet, Surely every one nova
| days has his or her own toothbrush
and comb and brush. Al the table
the fad of having individual cups and
! saucers and other ware is sensible
one, though not a necessary one in
most cases, but if there is any per-
son in the family affected with dis
ease, especially consumption and the
like, it Is absolutely necessary that
| that person have his or her own
dishes of such a distinctive pattern
that they cannot be mistaken
Kissing has been much discussed
question, and while sentiment de-
tends the practice hygiene is in favor
| of abolishing il, at least as IA mark
of public affection. Many an infant
who has been given kiss of affec-
ton has in reality been given the
kiss of death. and in adult life Sc
rious diseases. if not fatal ones, have
been transmitted by the kiss of one
supposed 10 be pure, yet saturated
with disease. Doubtless the crusade
against kissing has been carried TO
an absurdity, but promiscuous kiss
ing, aside from its indelicacy, Is dam
gerous, 70. D..
The food that we eat may ne a
cause Of infection. Avoid filthy
provision store as you would the
plague. Meat that is mauled over a
dirty block. handled with dirty hands
and cut with soiled and rusty knife
NAV be harmless, but the percentage
of danger in it is far greater than
that sold under more inviting circum-
! IL, 4 l., 4