Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-10
A PERNIcIoUs PRACTICE.
Comments of Physician on the Pro
miscuous Kissing Of Children.


In Lafayette Square on a pleasant after
noon recently well-dressed couple paused
to observe an unusually pretty little child
playing on the gravel walk. The lady
knelt and was about to imprint kiss upon
the child's rosy cheeks when the French
maid hastily interposed and drew the tot
away.
Pardon me- she exclaimed, while the
child looked on In wonder, but madam
does not permit Margaret to be kissed by
strangers
The lady and gentleman both smiled, the
former regretfully, and they passed on. A
physician who happened to observe the in
cident made this comment to a Star re-
porter standing near:
THE mother of that child is a sensible
woman, and her admonition to the maid
might well be emulated by other mothers,
especially those who are blessed with
pretty children. The feminine habit of
kissing children Is a natural and impulsive
one, but 1t is one to be severely frowned
upon; indeed, were 1t possible which I'M
fortunately 1t Is not 1t should not be strictly
prohibited, .
"This promiscuous kissing of children
either at home or upon the street is con-
ductive to infection and spread OF local and
specific ailments. It is also hard
ship on tho youngsters who have
enough troubles of their own to
be spared unnecessary infections. 1t was
only recently that L was consulted by an
anxious mother regarding a complaint
which could be suffered only by infection,
and which is very rare in small children.
In attempting to trace history of the
case one cause after another was dis
posed of until 1 was at loss to arrive at
the true, origin. l then asked her to name
over those whom she knew had recently
kissed the child. She recalled, among
others that the child had been picked up
and kissed, by strange lady when it had
been playing in the park, just as In this
case, a few days previously, and no doubt
the child caught the ailment from which
it was suffering. fortunately not danger
Gus one, from the stranger In the park.
at Is also bad practice to permit child
rem to kiss each other to the extent allowed
in this country, and 1t is In this manner,
especially In schools, that diseases among
children are spread In families. Parents
should issue positive instructions to the
nursemaids not only not TO allow strangers
to kiss their children but to forbid the
children of their neighbors to do so. I am
free to admit that this is not an easy rule
to enforce but parents should take the
welfare of their offspring first into consid-
GRAFTON, and the feelings of their friends
may well be put aside as of secondary
consideration.
1.-THE promiscuous kissing INDUCED In by
the fair sex. upon their greetings and meet
ings is also bad habit and tends to spread
disease. While this habit among grown
people cannot be stopped 1t certainly is
susceptible of being checked by those who
are sensible enough not to practice it; ply
sicians arosfrequently able to directly trace
to this cause the origin of some ailments
among adults. AS for the kissing of the
opposite sexes this is a pleasant practice
which has been INDUCED in from time I'M
memorial and is likely to continue for all
time to come despite the probability of
possible infection of love or other troubles"