The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-01-23
WHERE THE GERMS COME IN.

One of the most successful medical charla- | tans in the country who keeps lem coming in the only way 0 quack can maintain himself long in one location, points out to his wiseacre prospects from time to time the absurdity of | toh orthodox medical idea that germs cause disease. The germs, tho mountebank assures | his gullble customers, are the effect of the disease, not the cause of 1t. They are attracted
 to the scene, like buzzards or vermin, by the | corruption or something that Is thrown off by
 the sick body or maybe tho corruption CT | toxic waste matter" or whatever 1t is pro- duces the disease and the germs just happen to | be hanging around and hop in and enjoy them- | selves.
 But the charlatan sometimes loses sight of
 his main premise when appealing to the cred
 ulity of the public. He waxes eloquent about tho management of childbirth in ono of his bids for patronage, and as though to reasSure timid prospects he asserts that policy of non. interference iS almost always best provided antiseptic precautions are observed. Obviously tho charlatan seeks to appear "up to date." but
 unfortunately betrays his ignorance after all for 1t is not antiseptic methods but nseptic methods that make for safety Tn obStotric rrac- | ice today, irrespective of tho "echooT' of the physician or midwife or whether the policy IS | mo of interference or non-in!crfcrence. In | ,ther words, by taking pains to sterize thirgs | md by rigid cleanliness we keep tho germs
 ,ut, Instead of trying to Kill them after they
 nave gained access 10 the field. Anyhow. 1t | ,oes to show how ignorant are tho educated Here is popular charlatan rdculing the | theory" that germs cause dreaso and In the
 ,amc breath appealing to tho public to pat ! | ods to discourage germ activities.
 1 Just how do tho germs of our most common
 and widespread diseases get in? We are no nearer a working knowledge of this important
 matter than we were ten years ago. It seems
 to mo that the rank and fle of physicians to- day are disposed to agree that the common
 fourths of tho illness physicians attend, are
 spread chiefly in the mouth and nose spray
 given off when the patient coughs or sncezes,
 and some physicians, if not health authorities, now accept tho belief that conversational spray
 is m important mode of infection among tho
 more intelligent and polite portion of the popu. | lation. | If physicians and health authorities in gen-
 eral do seriously believe that disease Is spread
 by tho custom of shaking hands they arc
 strangely reluctant to teach the public about
 m apprcciablo amount of disease s spread in
 this way Such Q mode of infection is con.
 Golvnbe, but In my opinion 1t IS actually so rare
 as to Do negligible.
 | But conversational gpray--polite conversa- | tionu sprny--that, think, is the main source
 of grief for the public today. I'm sorry, but all
 1 can do about it is to warn the public that the range of ordinary conversational spray iS lesf | than five feet Whom you are at all suspicious | of an alleged "cold" you can at least strive to
 keep beyond the scoundrel's effective eonversa- | tionhl spray range.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Swallowed His Gum
 Ben Told that If you swallow gum it lines
 your intcstlnes and K very bad for you. | nave l swallowed gum often, not thnt wanted to- but | it just happened. (F. A. L)
 | Answer--No harm comes from 't. | The Cad Indicated
 | I've been wondering how I could overcome | the habit of smoking cigarets. 1 am 1b years | old and nave been smoking for three years. | lF. G. S.)
 | Answer--f think c good spanking would be | tho best remedy. But as we can't adfninistor that by mali, suggest that you send c stamped | envelope bearing your address and ask for in- | structl0ns for breaking the smoking habit.
 These instructions are sent only to correspond. :.
 ents who give their ago nnd tho duration and | extent Of their habit. Fumigant for Moths
 | Your readers often tell how effective your
 method of cradicating c0cltroacbcs is Have you as good . suggestion for killing moths? (W. @
 Answor--Thc U. S. department of agriculture | recommends cheap fumigant--a combination | of three parts by volume of ethylene chloride and ono part by volumo of carbon totrachlordo which costs about q dollar q gallon. Place | tho materials to be treated In m air tight con. | tniner, such as good tight trunk or closet, and | leave aome of the fumlgant in Nh jpen vessel | in tho eontaiBor with the materiaie, best on q
 shelft above the level of the garments or mato- | rinis, for day. Thls fumigant doM not cor- | rodo metals or bleach or stain fabrics. it ia | effective for rugs, carpets, mohair' clothing ' linens, upholstery. r M