The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-06-22
THE PUBLIC DRINKING CUP.

THE PUBLIC DRINKING CUP.
The ''cup of death is rather grue-
somely pictured in the Cup-C Campaign
er as a skull, with its top sawed on
(as in autopsies), handle fashioned
to the occiput, a chain attached TO
the handle, the other end being fast
ened to a drinking fountain. A cam
paign against the public cup Is now
being conducted throughout the Union.
Several states have already taken &C
ton, Kansas being the first to abolish
the common drinking-cup: Michigan,
Wisconsin, Mississippi. New jersey.
New York, however, have fallen in
line. Pennsylvania, through the sec
rotary of her state board of health,
warns her people that the cup used
in common in public schools must IN
evitably be the constant medium OF
communication of diseases such as
tuberculosis, diphtheria and other in
fections." In Illinois 1t is declared
that the public drinking-cup is as
antiquated as the ducking-stool and
the inuuisition people never think OF
eating from public plates or wearing
public clothes or smoking public ci-
CARS"
Illinois has Just passed bill abol-
ishing the use Of the public drinking
cup. Chicago, through its health de,
partment, supported by the newspapers
has waged an active campaign against
it. The city bacteriologists have col
lected drinking cups from various
school buildings, hotels, railway sta
tfons and stores in the city OF chi
cago and have made microscopic ex-
aminations and bacterial cultures from
these cups. The most frequent varle,
| ties Of germs found are various pus
germs. also, specimens of pneumonia
and diphtheria bacilli have been found
| Guinea.pfgs have been inoculated VIII
these cultures and the results OF these
tests. according to the city bacterioio
gtsts, prove the deadly nature OF tnese
bacteria. All the pigs inoculated WITT
4 the bacteria OF the pus infections DE
yeloped fatal assesses. The tests
with the diphtheria culture were alst
positive. as proved by the occurrence
4 of the disease.
In Connecticut Gas also in othei
! statesl private banking-houses note
i managers. department stores and otn
er corporations are cooperating VIII
the health authorities for the protec
Il tion of their employees and their pal
i rons and for the installation OF IN
bubblfng drinking fountain IN rali"a
trains and stations, in parks and othe
public places Many cities are movlh
/ in the same direction. New Ior
!, CITY. after october 1, will make lie
gal the use of the public drinking GU
| in anv public institution, hotel, theatre
!, factory. hall, school, railway static
or ferry house; already some OF IN
, nublic schools Of New York City nav
been equipped with a Jet apparatus,
arranged that the child's lips do nc
touch any part of the machinery.
r large number Of railroads nav
adopted a paper cup, supplied to tn
: thirsty on putting a penny IN the $40
which may be used for the entire TIL
In trains. OF all places, Is this a n
s eessarv measure, both for diseas
g Drophylaxis and for elementary d
$ cency. Again. in bar rooms, glasse
e after being used, often receive no mol
attention than dip in cold water al
q nerfunctory wipe with towel tn
e has already seen considerable servfc
IS AT soda water fountains also, "a III
It and a promise" by way OF apoios
e. for washing. are much in eyidenc
Such glasses may look clean, but Oft
the invisible pathogenic bacteria
rs main to enter any abrasion OF &
n; lips, or possibly to penetrate an
IN tact mucous membrane.
m Elimination of this means OF spree
Id ing disease, especially those most
fortunate cases OF lues innoeentiu
should receive support, and might W
be extended to cover number OF o
ed er public uncleanlinesses.