Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-02-01
DIPPING IN THE DISH
q CUSTOM STILL M VOGUE AMONG
SeMlcNlLlzep oRIENTAlS.
The rifthy Habit OF Eating I'm Com
mon That IL Followed by the
Arabs. Among whom Fingers Yet
Reign Superior TO rorks.


human health as Is popularity believed,
for II they were the total destruction Of
the orientals would have taken place
many centuries ago. for among the
many peculiar and primitive customs
OF the semiciviiized races OF the Holy
Land one OF the most loathsome prac-
ticed today Is that called by westerners
dipping in the dish" The custom dates
back to Biblical days.
Witnessing an Arab meal. one truly
wonders that there can be any human
beings left to carry on this horrid Gus
tom when one considers how great are
the precautions deemed necessary in
civilized lands both for the sake OF
cleanliness and for checking the spread
OF disease, for Il is collection OF
dirty and grimy hands that one sees
around the one common dish OF rice
and beans or OF sour milk which con-
stitutes the principal meal OF the day,
either in the home or In the field.
To watch these hungry beings set
ting to work TO devour their food. max
ing use Of their black hands reeking
with filth and CRIME. is enough to take
away ones own appetite. True enough.
according to the religious laws OF both
Mohammedans and Jews, Il Is required
that the hands be washed before eating
rs well as before praying. Correct
manners demand that the bearer OF a
pitcher shall pour water over the hands
OF each member OF n group sitting
down 10 eat. Where the people are
well to do both pitcher and basin are
OF silver, and towel is carried on the
bearers arm for the wiping OF hands.
Ordinary people simply pour the water
over the hands. letting IL fall to the
ground and using the corner OF the
flowing robe for towel.
But even when they do thus wash
their hands" before sitting down to
eat the scarcity Of water allows only
so called eats lick" and, as soap is
an unknown quantity to the Arab, this
sprinkling OF water over his finger tips
does not really lessen the dirt on the
hands. as they are rarely washed at
other times. nor does II remove any
germs OF disease that must inevitably
have settled there during the days in
tercourse with animals and friends and
neighbors OF every class and condition,
10 each OF whom n hearty salutation
has been offered in the shape Of much
handshaking and ELUSIVE kissing OF
both hands and faces, ali OF which
would tend more or less 10 spread
germs.
When one thinks OF the numerous
lepers in Palestine. who are allowed
much freedom. and OF those afflicted
with minor skin diseases. who minSle
freely with others regardless Of the
possibility OF infection. without men,
tioning the appalling prevalence Of
ophthalmia, about which there is abso-
lutely no care or precaution taken IL
becomes n fearsOme sight this min
Cling Of soiled and diseased hands in
one common dish OF food at the same
time and the placing OF these hands
within the eaters mouths after having
handled food just touched by their
neighbours perhaps flthier ones.
Still more repelling than this custom
OF putting ones food into ones own
mouth with soiled and greasy hands is
the mark OF attention demanded by
Bedouin etiquette from a host to his
guest. Before any OF the group seated
on the rough mating around the wood
en- bowl OF food on the floor begin to
eat the host. with much ostentation,
places his hand In the dish before him,
and, taking out good handful Of the
greasy sop, coils IL we'll between his
palms and, patting 1t down thoroughly
Into the shape OF ball, reaches over
toward his guest and himself puts II
right into his mouth, pushing II well in
with his fingers.
This is Arab courtesy and hospItali-
~, and II the guest is well bred he will
open his mouth TO receive this dainty
morsel and thus accept HIS hosts mark
OF favor. With this signal the meal be-
gins. Then, turning up their wide
sleeves 70 keep them well out OF the
dish. the company set to work hastily
TO devour the contents OF the dish be-
fore them, and suddenly eight or ten
dirty hands are plunged into the dish
at once.
There Is an unwritten law which ap-
points 70 each man his own portion for
digging In the dish"-that is, the part
nearest 10 his right hand-and 1t would
be as gross impoliteness for him to help
himself TO that on his left as for west
erners 10 put knives in their mouths.
Only one hand should be used. and
with this balls are made out OF the
greasy mess, which are chucked into
the mouth by dexterous movement Of
the thumb. But rules OF savage ETH
Quette are broken In the orient as often
as those OF good breeding are in the
occident, and so one often sees groups
or men in Palestine eating together IN
a rapacious manner, putting both soil
ed hands in the dish at once for great
er ease in more quickly securing large
mouthfuls OF food
The Arabs have a saying about any
one who helps himself too greedily
from the dish: HE descends Ike the
foot OF crow, but ascends like the
hoof OF a camel"
meal consists OF one course only.
and all the different messes are mixed
together, whether meats, sweets or
acids. The only pretense made for 8
plate or fork is the thin fat cake OF
bread which breaks up easily. With Il
persons sop up the fluids and vegetables
and they dish up the handfuls of food
which they squeeze into the bread, thus
making the latter serve for the our
wall OF the ball Of greasy substance
which Is to be thrown into their
months. 1t is then eaten with much
Dust and Consumption
Dusty work seems to be responsible
for consumption to a marked degree.
In 2,161 cases of consumption treated