March 21, 1919] 



SCIENCE 



289 



this country that has escaped its visitation. 

 Once introduced it has spread from person 

 to person with truly amazing speed. This is 

 partially accounted for by the very short in- 

 cubation period, from two or four days. This 

 furnishes new foci of infection at a much 

 more rapid rate than is the case with certain 

 other infectious diseases which require from 

 five to twenty days to develop. So much for 

 the progress of the disease, once rooted in the 

 individual, but just how the infection is 

 passed about so widely is a matter that is less 

 easy to explain. Are the causative organisms 

 transmitted from jierson to person by contact, 

 or are they mixed with dust from saliva- 

 laden streets and scattered broadcast by the 

 wind? The trend of modern thought is to 

 regard contact or hand to mouth transmission 

 as by far the more important. It is only at 

 euch times as we have just experienced that 

 there is a tendency to question the adequacy 

 of this method. Dust holds out certain allure- 

 ments because of its ubiquity and there is just 

 enough of the mysterious associated with air- 

 borne infection to be in keeping with a dis- 

 ease about which we know so little. Lest we 

 wander too far from the truths which modern 

 public health experience has taught us the 

 following inventory of opportunities for con- 

 tact transmision of disease is offered. 



The writer recorded his chances of acquir- 

 ing infections for an entire day. This list 

 imdoubtedly is typical for the average city 

 dweller. 



For the purpose of emphasis the items are 

 recorded in detail: 



1. Touched bathroom doorknob. 



2. Touched toilet seat. 



3. Touched toilet flush handle. 



4. Touched chain on light. 



5. Touched faucet handle. (Washed hands.) 



6. Touched bathroom doorknob. 



7. Touched knob of outside door. 



8. Received paper from newsboy. 



9. Grasped handle of trolley car. 



10. Received transfer from conductor. (Gloves on 



hands from this time till entering restau- 

 rant.) 



11. Grasped back of chair in restaurant. 



12. Touched tumbler with hand. 



13. Touched tumbler with lips. 



14. Touched teaspoon with hand. 



15. Touched teaspoon with lips. 



16. Touched plate with hand. 



17. Touched second teaspoon with hand. 



18. Touched second teaspoon with lips. 



19. Touched coffee cup with hand. 



20. Touched coffee cup with lips. 



21. Touched cream pitcher with hand. 



22. Touched cereal dish with hand. 



23. Touched toast with hand. 



24. Placed toast in mouth. 



25. Touched shredded wheat with hand. 



26. Placed shredded wheat in mouth. 



27. Touched second piece of toast with hand. 



28. Placed second piece of toast in mouth. 



29. Used handkerchief to nose. 



30. Handled napkin. 



31. Wiped mouth with napkin. 



32. Touched back of chair. 



33. Received check. 



34. Received change from cashier. 



35. Opened door. 



36. Closed door. (Put on gloves.) 



37. Used handkerchief to nose. 



38. Handled toilet room door at office. 



39. Touched swinging doors on toilet. 



40. Touched toilet seat. 



41. Touched flush handle. 



42. Touched swinging doors on toilet. (Washed 



hands.) 



43. Touched toilet room door knob. 



44. Used handkerchief to nose. 



45. Shook hands with visitor. 



46. Received paper from visitor. 



47. Used handkerchief to nose. 



48. Shook hands with visitor. 



49. Shook hands with second visitor. 



50. Opened toilet room door. 



51. Pressed toilet flush with hand. 



52. Turned water faucet. (Washed hands.) 



53. Opened lunchroom door. 



54. 55, 56. Received three dishes from attendant. 



57. Handled chair. 



58. Handled water tumbler. 



59. Carried glass to lips. 



60. Put spoon in mouth. 



61. Put fork in mouth. 



62. Opened post office door. 



63. Licked postage stamp handed out by clerk. 



64. Opened post office door. 



65. Opened office door. 



66. Placed hand on rail. 



67. Opened office door. 



