The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1905-09-06
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SEPT O. 1905.
ERRONEOUS BELIEFS.
SOME ODD NOTIONS THAT ARE
FIXED IN MANY MINDS.

Popular Ignorance to Law In
Everyday Occurrences - Cashiers
Mistakes In Banks-The Finding OF
Dead Bodies-Sunday Contracts.
1t is an American prediction to be
lieye the Outre and freakish stories that
are based solely ON hearsay testimony
and to reject often the commonplace
matter Of fact. A list OF the cheerful
lies that are commonly believed would
fill volume. Only a few Of them are
given below.
How often have you been inflicted
with the story of the man who WIS
overpald when cushing check at the
bank and the cashier telling him that
no mistakes would be corrected after
the customer left the Window Ac-
eording to the story, the cnshler laid
down the mandate before the cashier
knew the mistake was In his favor. II
makes an excellent yarn, but dlligent
search discloses that 1t never had any
foundation In fact Banks have no
such rule. If customer Is underpaid
or oYerpaid the mistake Will appear
when the balance is struck at the end
of the days business, and the error
VIII be checrfully rectihed. But the
majority of the public believe the hcti-
tiails story of how the fellow got the
best of the bank" simply because 1t Is
good story and they like to believe 1t,
Probably the most common error Oh
the part of the public Is the belief that
when dead body Is found no one has
right to touch or move the remains
until the coroner comes" There never
was any such law, Is not now and
probably never will be. The citizen
who Is of an inquirlng turn Of mind
has perfect right to examine the dead
bodies he runs across In the course OF
his travels, to move the remains and
even search the pockets Of the de.
ceased, provided, of course, that his
motives are honest That n all that Is
necessary.
There is also Il prevalent belief that
note signed or contract entered into
on Sunday Is void and that either party
can plead the fact OF the sacred day to
get out of bad bargain. This Is not
true. If man enters into contract
or signs II note ON Sunday he Is legally
bound and can have no defense that he
would not have If the transaction had
occurred In the middle of the week.
Il had my back against my own
house when | struck this man." says
the defendant In police court He be-
lleves That his proximity to his castle
gives him more rights than he would
hive If he were In the street This be
lief has been the cause of much can
tankerous litigation, and II has ever
resulted In the ruling that man has
right to defend himself In reason
able manner II he Is attacked. what
ever may bc his geographical position,
md the Incidental contiguity of his
home cuts no Ice" In the case.
The public has great confidence In
the magic number three, and without
any reasonable basis for the belief. 1t
ia commonly believed that II II drown
ing person sinks for the third time he
Is gone for good and all. The facts
contradict this. Many persons die In
the first sinking, and II one has the
strength and vitality to rise to the sur
face of the water twice 1t furnishes mn
excellent presumption that he will be
able to do SO again. In an eddy or
rapidly moving waters people have
sunk from sight half dozen times
and lived to tell the experience to their
grandchildren.
Then there Is the third congestive
chill, commonly believed TO be fatal.
Most people who die from this cause
succumb to the first or second attack.
If man succeeds In weathcrng two
of them the odds are In favor of his
coming out victor IN the third. Almost
every community possesses citizen
who boasts the fact that he has sill
yer plate In his skull Surgeons say that
very few attempts We're ever made ut
such nm operation, and all Of them
We're failures. There does not exist Il
man who has silver plate In his
skull. although many men honestly be
licVe that they are carrying this species
of pnraphcrnalia in their cranlums
The bone of the skull cannot live and
he healthy In the presence OF foreign
body. 1t IL said by surgeons 10 be II
physical imposslbility, but this serves
In no way 10 overcome the common
and erroneous belief.
The medical fraternity has another
false belief to combat in cases of shin
giles" This disease consists of a skin
eruption. always following affected
nerves and commonly appearing ON
the body 1t Is Il very common belief
that If the shingles" completely sur
round the body and strike Il meeting
point the patient Will die instantly.
The belief Is untrue. Kansas city
Journal