Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-17

regard the matter with complete indif-
ference.
Public health, which means individual
health in the last analysis, demands
that sneezes be kept at home There
is a perfectly easy and reasonably sure
way, as we have pointed out, of killing
a sneeze at its source. But II one will
out, for decency's sake the sneezer In
a public place at least should make
some effort to catch the thing in his
handkerchief. And, failing that, he
might at least lower his head instead
of spraying his neighbor.
There are four steps, as we see 1t
which might be taken to mitigate the
crime of public sneezing. In the first
place, one may smother his sneeZes
according to the plan outlined.
In the second, one may sneeze into q
handkerchief, II sneeze he must. Ex-
pectoration on street cars and buses
has long been banned in this city. The
public sneeze deserves to 60 by the
same route. II the public Is told what
1t cannot do In bold and black enough
type, 1t will follow orders very well. In
years Of riding on street cars we can
recall seeing but two or three men vio-
late the anti-spitting ordinances.
In the third place, II one cannot get
out his handkerchief quickly enough, at
least he can lower his head and pre-
cipitate the sneeze, germs and all. to-
ward the floor or the woolly meshes Of
his own clothing. Somehow we have
always claSsed germs and fieas in the
same category, and every one knows
how heas love woollens. Perhaps germs
too, have a secret sympathy with wool
from sheep. They feel at home there
Every sneezer ought to keep as many
of his own germs as possible. Certainly
no one else wants them.
In the fourth place, as limited above
an ordinance might be put into effect
making 1t a misdemeanor to Sneeze In
public vehicle. This would not be as
drastic as it sounds. The prevailing
impression that a sneeze Is q natural
act is erroneous. Almost any one can
stop q sneeze If he tries, as hitherto
explained. II he cannot, he should re-
main at home until his sneezing pro-
clivities are over.
Many people seem to regard q sneeSe
old fashion of saying God bless you'll"
when one sneezed. One may believe
however, that this was simply an an
cient form of wise cracking" as 1t Is
called today. A favorite joke is to make
a sneeze form sentence, such as How
are your" etc. Some people have very
peculiar forms of sneezes, just as others
cackle when they laugh or sound like
horses neighing.
Another mans sneeze, however, is not
very interesting, especially when the
Snee2er is an utter stranger and when
he delivers himself of his loud ker-chew
in a public place. where It Is difiicult to
get away from him. The daily packing
Of street cars and busses to the limits
OF capacity makes perfect cultural
medium for cold germs. Imaginative
riders can almost see the germs battling
to get out of the so-called "ventilators"
and finding themselves repulsed time
and again by those nisnamed devices.
One can feel sorry for colony of cold
germs sneezed forth by q thoughtleSs
and Indifferent human being as they
vainly seek an exit from a crowded bus
with Theoretically sealed windows.
The germs. flying here and there.
seem to want to get away The sad
joke is that the human elements in the
street car or bus would like to do the
same thing. Some day outraged riders
may rise in their might and mob some
one who sneezes in defiance of all laws
Of common decency and public health.
In the meantime about all that can be
done about 1t is to talk about IL, as
we are doing here, in the hope that the
old maxim may prove true-"Big trees
from little acorns grow"