TELEPHONES AND DISEASE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1433, 7 May 1912, Page 2

TELEPHONES AND DISEASE.

LITTLE DANGER OF INFECTION. The following extract from the London "Times" of March 15 will probably be of interest to persons who sometimes question whether telephones do not require frequent cleaning to prevent their carrying disease:— , "The Postmaster-General, in accordance with his promise to the House of Commons last Thursday, has issued the following statement 011 the inquiry as to the possible communication of disease by i the use of telephones:— 'In view of the importance of removing any possible' sourco of infectious disease, the Postmaster-General some time ago requested Dr. Spit.ta, of St. George's Hospital, and bacteriologist to the King, to. ! undertake a thorough investigation to determine the possibility of tho communication of tuberculosis through the use of telephones, and especially of thoso in public call offices. For litis purpose a number of telephones which had lwen in use at busy call offices in London for various periods, and had received 110 special cleansing treatment other than that normally given to such telephones, were handed over to Dr. Spitt-a i'or examination. In accordance with the method usually followed in such investigations, washings were prepared from the mouthpieces of the telephones, and tests were made in oaeh case by the inoculation of guinea pigs to ascertain the presence of tubcrelo bacilli. Dr. Spitta's report on these experiments showed that tho results were most satisfactory, and that, tho monthmeces examined were free from tubercle bacilli. The telephones which wore used in this investigation had been removed from call offices in post offices, railway termini, mestt markets, and other places of general resort.

■'In order to remove any possible doubt as to tlse exhaustive nature of these experiments, tho Postmaster-General, on Dr. Spitta's advicc. decided to have further experiments inado with telephones which were known to have been exclusively used by persons suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis. For this purpose, it was arranged that telephones should be fitted in the ward? of a sanatorium and used only by patients in different stages of pulmonary tuberculosis. It was arranged' that tho instruments should be used Ir, ihis way for varying periods of time and should iiot be cleaned or disinfected during the course of their experimental use. These telephones were forwarded to Dr. Rpilta at intervals, with all necessary precautions to prevent any alteration in their condition, and were subjected to tlie some bacteriological experiments ns the telephones previously removed from public cn!l offices. Tho investigations were continued during the year 1911. and a final renort has now been received from 1)r. Spitt.a showing thn^ the results have been entirely negative.'"