Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-12-13
TO KISS OR NOT
TO KISS AGAIN
UP FOR DEBATE
Oscillation Warned Against
- Doctors Say Habit Spreads
Disease.
THE VICTORIAN METHOD
By FREDERIC j. HAsKIN.

WASHINGTON - The ancient wa
against kissing as an extra -haZardoui
sport, has recently broke out again.
Several learned doctors have ISSUED
pronouncements on the deadly POSSIBLE
tiles OF un-hygisnic OSCILLATION.
From Paris comes the report that ever
a new disease has been caused by kiss
ing, and that the malady is spreading
From the fragmentary information given
the disease seems TO be something hk'
pyorrhea, for the teeth are loosened and
the gums are sore.
At the same time a doctor In THU
country urges that If people must kiss
at least they should forget indulging IL
the morning kiss as germs-especially th'
germs Of tuberculosis-are apt to b
most virulently active in the mouth then
Medical objection to kissing in thu
morning might be made a convenient ex
cuse for avoiding the perfunctory peel
OF duty expected by some OF your rela
@zsyes. No doubt the family physician
would be glad to furnish certificate
showing that you were not to engage II
OSCILLATION until ! o'clock.
The doctor IN question was probably
chiefly concerned with the kissing Of
children, a practice which has long beer
locked upon with disfavor by stickler'
for a germless existence. Children are
much more susceptible to many kinds
Of disease germs than grown people
They have a great many so-called chill
dren's diseases, often unnecessarily, and
while there are no figures some doctors
hold that these diseases are frequently
contracted by kissing.
DISEASE GERMS COLOMBO
ON HUMAN LIPS.
The number Of bacteria you can catch
by one kiss has been carefully calcu-
lated by a Vienese physician. He found,
presumably by counting them, that there
are at least 10000 microbes on one square
centimeter Of the human lips. These
bacteria may includs the germs OF scarleE
fever, typhoid. diphtheria, tuberculosis
and other dreaded diseases. 1t has been
observed that the mouths OF children
who have fully recovered from diptheria,
are filed with the germs for a long
time afterward. To kiss such a child.
and especially for another child to kiss
it, is to invite the disease, according to
doctors opposed to kissing. They admit
that Il is possible to kiss a mouth reek-
ing with all sorts Of microbes and escape
IL your body is strong enough to throw
on the poisons. But then again you
may be in a susceptible condition. and
the results are disastrous.
Very impressive all OF this. But even
while your brain is struggling to pic
ture the horrors Of 10000 bacteria hud-
lied on a human lip. along comes an
other doctor and says that a thimbleful
Of milk contains more bacteria than
that, and a drink from an ordinary glass
is far more microbius Of there Is such a
word) than a kiss from an ordinary
person.
Anyway, what could be done about 1t ?
History shows that the desire to kiss is
deeply ingrained in civilized humans
80 that It would be difficult 70 eradicate
IL. It is true that II no one had taught
rs how to kiss We might never have
discovered it for ourselves. 1t is not
an instinct, like laughing or crying.
Some savage tribes know nothing Of it.
They do usually, however. have some
method Of outwardly indicating snec-
ton, such as the Malay kiss which con-
sists Of two people rubbing noses to-
gether
ANCIENT KISSING
CUSTOMS RECALLED.
But though kissing is an integral part
Of conventional conduct. it does seem to
be taking a smaller place In the social
life Of civilized countries. 1t used to be
the custom In England for girls
partner to kiss her before giving her Ut
at the end Of q dance TO another man.
Further back, the lady Of the feudal
castle kissed the feet Of beggars, even
Ieprous beggars, on certain religious
festivals And TO bark still further back
into history, the worship Of many pagan
gods and goddesses prescribed kissing
some part of the image
The kiss OF devotion, kissing between
Nsnen, and indiscriminate kissing at socia.
functions, have fallen OF. likewise, tbs
kiss OF casual friendship. which 10 still
prevalent among girls, is slowly losing
popularity. At one time in England II
was customary for the hostess of tn
mansion to kiss her guests, men ant
women, on their arrival, departure and
whenever else it seemed courteous. Thii
custom has long since died out, so IA
as the men are concerned.
There remain with US chiefly the kisses
Of love and those Of duty. These seen
permanent to our civilization. Yet ever
they change. Here are the rules laid
down by an authority on etiquette Of
the Victorian Age for the perfect kiss
when gentleman discovers thai
everything Is propitious. he Will politely
take the right hand ef the lady In his
then pass his left gracefully over hel
TEsAC shoulder ana diaSonally DOWN tS
her sweetness with the man who looks
warm clasp, full of magnetism and re
spect. He Will not be in a hurry, FOL
such loving experiences always come t
an end too soon, and never with complete
satisfaction"
And here Is how the damsel IL supposed
to retaliate:
AFTER playfully delaying to comply
with the gentleman's advances, the lady
will gradually show Willingness by rest
ing her head trustingly on his shoulder
A glow Will come to her cheeks and
bushes will appear. These are the never
failing signs OF her readiness to shar
hire sweetness with the man who look
bTavely into her half-closed eyes, whil'
manfully drawing her to his bosom Tx,
q hero"
Any one who wants instruction in the
GRIT as 1t is now practiced can do better
ny studying skilled professionals who
give sample methods at close range In
any moving picture play. This is the
one field where the kiss is gaining
ground rather than losing It.
The stage kiss used to be a palpable