Evening star., 1944-12-19
This and That
By Charles E. Trace,UeN.

In a popular medical work we were
reading the other day the author took
many occasions to stress the necessity
for washing the hands
Though the book was written several
years ago. it is right in line with the
latest scientific opinion. Soap and
water are regarded more than ever
today as necessities of hygiene.
The emulsion which results from
washing not only inhibits bacterial
growth, and acts as fungistat. or fun
gus inhibitor, but actually kills many,
and washes more away.
One has but to watch the actions of
people in public places to realize the
necessity of thorough and complete
hand washing by all persons who rec
ognize the need for true hygiene.
The phrase, the great unWashed, "
was once popular as a designation for
poor people. The truth seems to be
now that there are plenty of unwashed
among persons who ought to know bet
ter
1t is no unusual thing to see a per-
son IN public vehicle rub and poke
at a redeemed eye, and then with the
same fingers grasp one of the uprights
or bars along the back of a seat.
We have watched small children smear
their mouths up and down one of the
uprights, and have seen older children
snap out great wads of chewing gum
to contact them.
lheSe and many other insanitary
practices may be witnessed daily, to saw
nothing Of the great number of per-
sons who complete some portion of
their morning toilet on wheels.
Cleaning the finger nails in public
is dlstressingly frequent Then there
are persons with dandruff, and those
with diseases which cannot be seen so
plainly.
Coughs and sneezes, and the perpet-
ual harrumping which so many per-
sons, particularly men, seem to think
they must make in public, just to show
tnelr independence, cause sensitive per-
sons to shrink within themselves.
x & #*
Plenty of good soap and water, mixed
with common sense, is the best an
sWer to these and other public dangers
of the sort
Those who give soap for Christmas
should know that they are making an
excellent choice, and those who receive
such gifts should realize that the sender
has complimented them.
Next to washing both before and
after a public trip, the best thing to
do is to understand the necessity of
touching nothing en- route.
we have seen sensible looking men
pick up old discarded newspapers, over
which many feet have travelled. and
tear OH piece to apply to a small
wound of some sort!
Certainly such a thoughtless man
an Army offlcer-Was not thinking. and
not even remembering what he had
been taught in the ranks.
IL Is necessary at all times when in
public to keep the mind centered on the
necessity for not touching anything. It
Is very easy to forget
Some grasping of uprights and the
like is necessary perhaps, but not as
much as many persons suppose It can
be done with minimum of touching
Epldemics of ringworm, commonly
called athletes foot" are augmented
at the present time by scalp ringworm.
Ihese are not worms, but fungi, and
are all related
sit is a good idea, especially for chill
dren, to wear hat, and not to lean
back against the backs of seats. Hats
should never be interchanged.
1t is much better to be regarded by
ones companions as "finicky" and
worrying than to get any sort of fun
gus infection. To cure fungus infec-
ton usually takes five months, or longer
The public understanding of this one
fact alone should make for more care
onthe part of all sensible peoplel