The Washington times., 1919-08-24

rev and arresting facts regarding the
spreading OF influenza are revealed
= in the report of Colonel Charles
Lynch and Leut-ColoneI James G. Cum
mings, both of the Medical Corps of the
United States Army, published in "The
Military Surgeon" The epidemic upon
which the two army doctors based their
conclusions we're made among the many
camps in which. the epidemic took such
heavy toll of our soldiers.
The hand is held to be mainly respon-
sible for the communication Of the germs
While the investigations were carried on
among our men in uniform the find
ings apply with equal force, of course, to
every one in civilian life. And while the
influenza germ was the particular quarry
of the scientists, every other eommunica-
BILE germ is equally, Of course, spread in
the same manner.
Particularly are the discoveries Of i'm
portance at this time and measures Of
protection necessary to consider, because
the closing Of the saloons has created an
unusual demand upon tie soda water and
soft drink dispensaries. While in some
States rigid laws have been passed en-
forcing the proper cleansing and sterili-
zation Of glasses used at the soda water
fountain, this legislation is not uniform
nor are there a sufficient number Of in
spectors to cover the thousands of such
places.
It is unquestioned that number Of soda
fountains are carried on in a sanitary
fashion-but it is incontestabIe that the
vast majority are not. Where glasses are
used the usual procedure of cleansing at-
ter the customer drinks is a hasty dip,
into tepid, dirty water, a hasty rub with
a dirty towel carried usually by young
man in a soiled linen coat with dirty hands
and fingers nails, who then places IT upon
a rack to be used by the next customer.
After he gets through with it there are
usually more germs than those which
might have been left by the customer
drinking from it just before.
Nor does the fact that individual paper
cups are used at many of the soda bars
do more than lessen by a hairs breadth
the danger Of contagion. While the paper
cups are perfectly sanitary they are usu-
ally placed in holders for the convenience
of the customer. These holders have
sometimes handles and sometimes not.
The cup, it is true, that touches ones lips
does not touch another's, but the holder
remains indefinitely on the counter AMI
keeps on accommodating the dirt and mic
robes from the hands of its users.
When a person upon whose hands are,
say, influenza germs, enters one of these
places for a drink he is bound to leave
on the container some of these bacilli.
The next customer carries away on his
or her fingers a portion of these germs.
Perhaps he wipes his hands on his hand
kerchief The germs are then transferred
10 this article Later on he wipes his
mouth with the handkerchief. The germs
then cling TO his lips AND in due time
there is another case of infection and
perhaps death.
In the report Of Doctors Lynch and
Cummings the common habit Of holding
The hand in front of the mouth or nose
when coughing or sneezing is condemned.
It is true that this, in a measure, serves
TO diminish the droplets otherwise scat
tered in the air, but It is also true that
the hand carries away these droplets and
becomes infected. The proper way tO
attend to a sneeze or a cough it to hold
the handkerchief tightly in front of both
nose and mouth and, removing it, fold it