The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-12-06

W&SuiuStO -. ~, DeC. ~ no
ancient war against kissing as an
xtya-haxardous sport has recently
broken out again.
Several learned doctors have is
sued pronouncements on the deadly
possibilities Of unhygienic oscula-
ton.
from Paris comes the report
tina. even . new disease has been
caught by kissing. and that the
malady is spreading. From the
fragmentary information given. the
disease seems to be something like
pyorrhea, for 4he teeth are loos-
ened. and the gums arersore.
At the same time, doctor In this
country urges that If people must
kiss, at least they should forego
indulging in the morning kiss, as
germs-especially the germs Of tu-
Lerculosis-are apt to be most viz
uleEtiy active in the mouth then.
Medical objection to kissing in
the morning might be made con-
venient excuse for avoiding the
peifunctory peck Of duty expected
by some OF your relatives. No doubt
the family physician would be glad
to furnish a certificate showing that
you were not to engage in oscula-
ton until l O'Clock.
The doctor in question was prob
ably chiefly concerned with the
kissing of children, practice which
has long been looked upon with dis
favor by sticklers for a germless
existence. Children are much more
susceptible to many kinds Of dis
ease germs than grown people. They
have a great many so-called chill
dren's diseases. often unnecessarily,
and while there are nc, figures. some
doctors hold that these diseases are
frequently contracted by kissing.
Mouth Microbes.
The number of bacteria yoa can
catch by one kiss has been care
fully calculated by 2 Viennese ply
stefan. He found, presumably by
counting them, that there are at
least 10000 microbes on one square
centimeter Of the human lips. These
bacteria may include the germs OF
scarlet fever, typhoid, diphtheria
tuberculosis, and other dreaded
diseases. It has been observed that
the mouths OF children who have
fully recovered from diphtheria, are
filled 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 it is possible to kiss a
mouth reeking with all sorts OF
microbes and escape if your body
is strong enough to throw off tbs
poisons. But then again You may
be in q susceptible condition, and
the results are disastrous.
Very impressive, all Of this. But
even while your brain is struggling
to picture the horrors Of 40 600 bac-
terra huGdled en- human lip. along
comes another doctor and says thai
a thimbleful of milk contains more
bacteria than that, and drink from
an ordinary glass is far more
microbius Gf there is such word
than a kiss from an ordinary per
son.
Anyway, whatN could be dont
about it? History shows that tn,
desire TO kiss is deeply ingrainet
in civilized humans so that it would
be difficult to eradicate it. 1t is tru,
that il no one had taught US how
to kiss we might never have discov
cred it for ourselves. 1t is not al
instinct, like laughing or crying
Some savage tribes know nothin;
of it. They do usually, however
have some method of outwardly in
dicating affection, such as the Mala,
kiss which consists of two peopl
rubbing noses together.