WAR ON HAND-SHAKING.

Shannon News, 4 May 1923, Page 2

WAR ON HAND-SHAKING.

A . C : TO HEALTH. i. .. p, i!; is IRS” IN AMERICA. The reformers are on the warpath to eliminate another danger, says the Pittsburg correspondent of a London paper, and if they succeed the hand, shake will in a few years have gone the way of the roller towel, the family tooth brush, and the insanitary drinking cup. Prominent doctors agree that handshaking is not only a carrier of disease germs, but is ex. tremely harmful to the nervous system. Dr. S. R, Haythorn, until recently chairman of the Sanitation Committee of the Allegheny County Medical Society, when questioned on the subject, said: “During the influenza epidemic bulletins were put out by the United States Public Health Service, warning people against shaking hands. I think that hand-shaking is very bad during an epidemic. Although I do not think it a very serious menace ordinarily, it is probably a bad prac. lice. No person with tuberculosis ought to shake hands.” General handshaking was condemn, od by Miss Nan L. Dorsey, superintend cut of the Public Health Nursing As. soeiation. “While there are a great many factors to be considered, raid i think in some instances, such as the home, handshaking is all right, indis.. odniina'o hand.shaking is very bad," she said. “I have been told that President Harding and the late Theodore Roosevelt had to have masseurs to manipulate their hands, and there was almost evidence of paralysis after they had shaken hands constantly.” Mrs Enoch Raub, director cf the Department of Public Charities, and former:;/ president of the Council of Jewish Women, who has always been actively interested in the welfare and general health of the public, expressed her opinion as follows: “I think that hand.shaking ought to be eliminated from society, and agree that it is a germ carrier. Many germs congro.. gate on the hands, and we cannot be washing our hands constantly. I think it is a good thing to abolish hand, shaking, just as I think it is to do away with kissing. I have been one of the kissers, and love to kiss, but I do not think it is sanitary. I have been told that hand.shaking is of great harm to the nervous system, and that certain public people who have been called upon to shake hands a great deal have discontinued it because of its prostrating effect on the nerves. One can be just as cordial without shaking Lands.”

Dr. C. J. Styber, president of the North Side branch of the Allegheny County Medical Society, said that he thought ordinary handshaking was not very dangerous, but in cases of highly infectious disease, bacteria can accumulate on the hands, and when a slice of bread or other food is touchedJf is contaminated. • ' * S'JUflSi