Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-12-07
Shall We Can Kissing?
~ Frederic J. Hsskln

hazardous sport has recently broken out
again.
Several learned doctors have issued
/ pronouncements on the deadly possibili-
| ties Of unhygienic oscuiation.
From Paris comes the report that
| even n new disease has been caused by
| kissing, and that the malady If spreading.
| From the fragrncntary information gwen,
/ the disease seens 20 be something ike
| pyorrhea, for the teeth are loosened, and
/ the gums are sore.
| At the safne time, doctor in this
| country urges that If people must kiss,
at least they should forego indulging 10
| the morning kiss, az germs especially
! the germs of Tuberculosis are apt 10 be
most virIlently active in the mouth then.
Medical objection to kissingIn the morn
/ ing might be made convenient excuse
for avoiding the perfunctOry peck Of
duty expected by some Of your relatives
| No doubt tho family physician would be
| glad 10 furnish certificate showing that
| YOU were not 10 engage in oscuIation until
/ O'Clock.
The doctor in question Was probably
chiefly concerned with the kissing Of
children, practice which has long been
looked upon with disfayOr by sticklers for
gerrnless existence Children are much
more susceptible b. many kinds Of dis
ease germs than grown people. They
have great many so-called children's
diseases, often unnecessarily, and while
there are no figures, some doctors hold
that these diseases are frequently con
trseted by kissing
MOUTH MICROBES.
The number Of bacteria yo1 can catch
by one kiss has been carefully calculated
by Vienese physician. He found, pre-
surnnbly by counti, z them, that there are
ct least 10000 microbes on one square
centirneter Of the human lips These
bacteria may include the germs Of scarlet
fever, typhoid, diphtheria, tuberculosis,
and other dreaded diseases II has been
obserbed that the mouths Of children who
have fully recovered from diphtheria, are
filed with the germs for a long time after
ward To kiss such a child and especially
for another child 70 kiss II, ls 70 lnvlte
the disease, according n doctors opposed
70 kissing. They admit that y IS possible
70 kiss a mouth rocking with all sorts q
microbes and escape If your body ls strong
enough to throw off the poisons. But then
again you may be in q susceptible con
dition, and the results are disastrous
Very impressive, AT of this But even
while your brain = struggling 70 picture
the horrors of 40 600 bacteria huddled on
a human lip along comes another doctor
and saws that a thimbleful q milk con
tains more bacteria than that, and drink
from an ordinary glass i far more ml-
crobius IF there il such word than
kiss from an ordinary person
Anyway, what could be done about ~
History shows that the desire 20 kiss .
deeply irgrained in civilized humans 80
that il would he difficult 70 eradicate u.
II ia true that if no one had taught us
how 70 kiss we might never have dis
covered Il for ourselves Ii IL not an IN
stirct ike leughir Or CRYING. Some savage
tribes know nothing nf lt They do usual
~, however. have some method q out
wardly indicating affection, such as the
Malay kiss which consists of Two people
rubbing noses together.
KISSING HAS D1MISIsHED.
But though kissing IS an integral part
Of conventional conduct, il does seem 20
be taking a smaller place n The social
life of civilized countries. Il Used 70 0e
the custom IN England for 9 girls partner
70 kiss her before giving her Up az TIE end
Of q dance 70 another man. Further back,
the lady of the feudal castle kissed tne
feet Of beggars. even leprous pegyars on
certain religious festivals And % marx
still further back into history, the worship
of many pagan gods ana goddesses pre-
scribed kiSsin some part 0f the image
The kiss II devotion. kissing between
men. and indiscrminate kissing AZ social
functions have fallen Of. Likewise the
kiss OF casual friendship, which : stul
prevalent among girls, . slowly losing
popularity At ore time IN England i
was customary ior the hostess 9f me
MANSION 70 kiss Der gIests. men ana
women. on their arrival. departure, anu
whenever eLSe il ~eclneU courteous MS
custom has lorg since died out, . iar as
the men are concerned
There remain with Us chiefly the kisses
Of love and those # duty. These seem per-
maGeut t0 our civilization. J ct even they
char ge Here are the rules laid down ~
al authority on etiquette oi the Victorian
Age for the perfect kiss.
~ hen q gentleman discovers ina
everything IS propitious, ne VIII poiItiey
take the night hand Of the lady IN ms,
then pass MS left gracefully over her right
shoulder, and diagoually down to her
waist. acccrnpapyilg this with warm
clasp. full of magr etism and respect.
lie VIII not be II a hurry. for such loving
experiences always come 70 Al end too
soon, and never with complete satlsfsc-
ton.
THE VICTORIAN KISS.
And here Is how the dan.sel Is supposed
10 retahate
After playfully delaying TO comply
with the &c tlemau advances, the lady
will gradually show willingness by rest
ing her head trustingiv on his shoulder
4 glow viii come 70 her checks, and
bushes viii appear, These are the never .
failing signs of her readiness 70 share
her sweetness with the man who looks
bravelv INTO her half-closed eyes, While .
drawing her 10 his bosom ike
q hero
Anyoue who wants instruction ID the
art as it is now practIced can do better .
bv studying skilled professionals who give F..
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 70 be "A palpable
sham. France went - far as 70 make 1t +
an offense punishable by fine for an actor 4
to give an actress a bona hde kiss unless
by her consent. At least one matinee idol
Of Paris was hauled into court by an angry
husband, and ordered 70 answer toI
kisses bestowed upon his wife IN 3 love
scene.
But now the moving pictures and
passion for realism on the stage have
charged the rules. 80 that what passed for
. -. Nf..I -, 4 -, x,,5fh n 4hrtlin1 att5fpvNa