The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-23

who wears a made-up tie The short
cropped mustache has been long in
vogue. But more recently the young
blood, who Is to his fellows what the
Gibson girl Is to womanlSind, has shaw
ed his face clean to accord with his
short niched coat tain and his peg-top
trousers, all of which might well take
place at any time without rhyme or
reason. But here come the doctors, to
whom a flowing beard has been con-
sidered essential from the standpoint
of business, declaring that the beard
is, after all, but vehicle for the
growth of disease germs which may
menace not only the health of the
wearer,' but which may transmit the
germs to others; that the dairyman
who wears a beard does so to the peril
of his customers who drink the milk
he communicates; that doctors who
wear boards report greater NOR tality
among their patients than those who
do not; that the man with a beard
who enters a railway coach can not
come away without a very palpable adj
dition Of the bacteria which always in
fest such places, since 1t has been
proved that the mating of the coaches,
composed of many individual strands
or hairs like those of a bed-d, are lit
orally covered with bacteria.
Now, 1t is a fact that doctors have
long separated themselves into two
classes, those who do and those who
do not wear Boards sud in the larger
clinics IL is noticeable that the opera
tors are as careful of their hirsute APP
pendages as Lord Lister was of his
fingernails, but the idea really came
to the notice of the public when the
New York Milk Commission suggested
that all dairymen with WHISPERS dis
pense with this part of their facial
make up, on the ground that milk
man with whiskers is liable to impreg
nate the milk with germs. Following
the suggestion the managers of the
various milk depots in the neighbour
hood Of Binghamton have decided that
only smooth-faced men will be allowed
hereafter to have anything 10 do with
the milking or shipping Of milk In that
part of the state. Orders issued 10
that effect state that with ordinary
cleanliness the dust from the stable is
liable to infect the beard and from
thence the milk. Some OF the farmers
who have long prided themselves on
the beauty and length of their boards
are indignant at the implied POSSIBLE
ity of uncleRnliness and at the enforc-
ed change in their personal appear
ance One man declares that he would
rather lose his business than his beard.
Others express like sentiments, but
many, on the other hand are heartily
in accord with the movement. The sig
nlficance OF the movement lies in Its
relation to the wearing Of boards In
general. III there Is menace 10 the
dairy. there is menace to other depart
ments OF industry.
So important has the question be-
come that various health authorities
have for some time been making re-
forms wherever possible.
II suppose the idea came" said DIR.
Park OF the New York Board OF
Health, from our suggestion TO the
milkmen Of the state. There Is real
menace TO the milk II the dairyman IL
bearded. In the first place, the mixer
may be diseased himself lie may have
tuberculosis and the dried sputum may
accumulate on his beard and drop from
Il into the milk. which would then
become dangerous 20 any consumer al
ready predispOsed 90 the disease The
mixer Is forced 20 incline his head
over the milk pail In order 10 got near
enough 10 do his work, ana you nave
no doubt noticed that men With long
boards have "a habit Of HtrOklnH them
downward. That has tta effect Of
brushing on any germs they may con-
tain. Again the mixer may b. per-
fecfly healthy himself and yet aceu-
Hulafe bacteria from ihf dust - fhe
stable T'ne beard. particularly when
damp. may become ~ IDEAL germ eaf.
rlef. and ON an pnrlean man Wouid
have great facility Tor ihe transmits
aiob ~ llrfHGr iu fho oahf ~ uns my
alaan lf uafht transmit qisr1sf ~
! brought iD contact wlnn a. Nef ia-