The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-06-17

from the mouths of those In the state
of health.
This fact should change all our
ideas regarding the prevention of con.
tagious diseases. Take the case of a
child who complains of a slight sore
throat; this is, or may be, a weaken.
ed form of diphtheria, which, falling
on more favorable soil may change
into fatal form Of the disease. A
street car conductor moistens his
thumb to give you transfer; the
baker does the same to strengthen his
hold on the paper in which your cake
is wrapped; and this may be the
cause of your death, for the conduc-
tor or the baker may have pathogenic
microbes in his mouth. If disease
germs may be transmitted in this in.
direct way what shall we say regard.
ing the habit of promiscuous kissing?
II kissing must be INDUCED in as
token of affection, and more frequent.
ly merely as form of greeting, in
view of the positive knowledge we
have regarding the transmission of
germs don't you think that this salu-
tation delivered upon the cheek would
be a step in the right direction?
The enforced reporting of disease
is Of little value compared with the
vast field Of preventative measures by
the use of hygiene and prophylaxis
now at our command; for typhoid,
scarlet fever, diphtheria, smallpox,
grippe, ETC., all have their weakened
forms in which contagion may be ef-
fected without the one transmitting
the disease being aware of so doing.
Six weeks after the cure of a chol-
era patient there has been found in
his excreta the cholera bacili. Patients
who have had virulent pneumonia re.
tain in the secretions of their lungs
and mouths, germs which become scat
tered about them. 1t has been shown
that such germs were still virulent
forty-eight hours after leaving the
body.
To the germs sown by persons who
have recovered from disease, add
those that arise from persons who
are not Inconvenience by the pres
ence Of disease germs and who pur,
sue their daily vocations without
hindrance, and it will become evident
that no sanity prophylaxis, whether
inter-urban, international or inter.
continental, is capable of assuring
protection against contamination so
masked. The idea of weakened forms
OF germ disease inhabiting the mouths
Of healthy individuals, which are ca.
pable OF causing death when sown on
favorable soil, will when it has pen
etrated the public brain, impose hab
its Of decency that, in time to come
viii save millions of lives. People
should be taught to devote themselves
to making their bodies immune to dis
ease.
How often do people present them.
selves to the dentist with teeth SO
filthy that one recoils with disgust
and aversion at beholding them: Add
to this number of liberated roots
or decayed teeth in which decompos
ing food remains for weeks and
months and you will no longer won
der why sometimes the breath of an
individual is so foul and offensive
that his presence Is almost unbear
able and 1t is only by firm grasp OF
the idea that all odors, even that OF
| the rose.'is after all. only an expres
sion Of chemical activity, that the
dentist has the courage to face the
situation. The above is not an exag
gerated picture of the mouths of many
people of seeming refinement, whc
would be insulted If you were &c
question them IL they washed theil
hands and faces, bathed their bodies
combed their hair, in fact followed