Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-10-27
HEALTH AND HAPPINESS
BY DR.. LEONARD KEENE HInsHBE RG
A. B.. NJ. A. M D. tJohns Hopkins.

Why Tattoo Marks Often Bring Diseases
Those mendicant mechanics of the
needle and indelible inks of many
colors, who ply their nefarious trade
called 'tattooing." usually leave be-
hind them a lingering train Of re-
grets and penitence.
Sailors are a class unto themselves
when it comes to checkering the skin
with the iris-colored spectrum of the
peacock's tail.
Tattooing Is strange custom
which had it's origin in various ways
Although indelible ink has been used
vermilion, indigo, carbon and such
materials are more commonly vac
cinated" in. There was a day when
this practice was used in India and
other parts Of Asia to signify social
caste and degrees of citizenship.
In some places. such as the Sand
witch Islands, the men have one kind
of tattoo mark and the women an
other. Each mark proves the tribe
and district to which the man or
woman belongs,
One tribe may have three vertical
blue lines tattooed on the arms, an
other may have vernilion circle
with a dot in it. Usually. among
others than white races, tatto marks
mean the versi- colored badge OF
servility. The Fiji islanders use tat
tooing, however, as q means of adorn'
ment.
Married Women Tattooed.
Some African tribes as well a.
South Sea islanders tattoo with re-
ligious ceremonies. Figures of dog.
men, stars, crescents, circles, squares
and all sorts of oddities are tattooed
upon children as they come of age.
In Borneo the married women are
tattooed on the hands, feet and
thighs. No unmarried girl is ever
tattooed. In Burrnah all legs OF
Fow-caste natives are tattooed, while
in Australia the totem of each mar
is thus crocheted into his flesh.
The lately deceased Andrew Lang
investigated this weird custom, ano
in the east he found that profess
sional tattooers carry about with
them books of designs, each one OF
which is supposed to charm away
some malady or ward off evil.
The Apache and Yuma Indians oil
Arizona distinguish their married
women by several blue lines which
run from the lower lip to the CHR,
When the young squaws wish to be-
como mothers they have the figure
of a baby tattooed into the forehead
When Esquimaux women tattoo
their faces with lampblack they con.
slider themselves matrons of society
Often Spreads Disease.
In Jerusalem, at Lourdes, at thu
shrine of Our Lady OF Lorette, anc
at other similar places, men wht
ply the profession of tattooing vii
for a small sum of money tattoo 9
design commemorative of the visit.
Tattooing is done at times with thu
electric needle, but the common pic
lures seen on soldiers and sailors arr
not done thus. Only too often
loathsome blood disease, tuberculo
sis of the skin or malignant growthi
have been inoculated into the arms
or other parts of the skin when tn
operator--as is usually the case
moistens the ink, mikes the pig
ments or fails to sterilize the needl'
used
Lockjaw, blood infections BY dir
germs, typhoid, typhus, infectious
heart disorders and even pneun1oni'
have been spread from the ruste'
needle or soiled and non disinfecte'
skin during the act of tattooing.
Tattoo marks. once they have beei