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 incubation 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 person to person by contact, or are they mixed with dust from salivaladen 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 such times as we have just experienced that there is a tendency to question the adequacy of this method. Dust holds out certain allurements because of its ubiquity and there is just enough of the mysterious associated with airborne infection to be in keeping with a disease 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 contact transmision of disease is offered. The writer recorded his chances of acquiring infections for an entire day. This list undoubtedly 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 restaurant.) 11. Grasped back of chair in restaurant. 12. Touched tumbler with hand. 13. Touched tumbler with lips. 14. Touched teaspoon with hand. 17. Touched second teaspoon with hand. 25. Touched shredded wheat with hand. 31. Wiped mouth with napkin. 32. Touched back of chair. 33. Received check. 34. Received change from cashier. 36. Closed door. (Put on gloves.) 42. Touched swinging doors on toilet. 43. Touched toilet room door knob. 51. Pressed toilet flush with hand. (Washed 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. .... Chances of acquiring infection through kissing. 0 There were 92 opportunities for infecting the hands directly with other hands or with articles just handled by others. Mere infection of the hands is of course immaterial. It is the carrying of the infected hand to the mouth or nose, which constitutes the danger. In the present instance the hand was brought in contact with the mouth or nose, either directly or through food, or through handling a handkerchief 14 times, 7 times in the case of the mouth and 7 in the case of the nose. This represents the experience of one to whom keeping hands out of the mouth is second nature. But what of the person who is unconscious of the hand to mouth habit? There is no question but that the hand travels to the mouth more frequently with the average individual. There were seven opportunities of infecting the nose with the hand through the medium of the handkerchief. The influence of weather and climate on infection is suggested here by the fact that the colder or more changeable the weather the more frequently does the nose require attention and the opportunities for infecting the nose from the hand increase in proportion. In making up this record of articles touched by the hands, it should be emphasized that only those instances have been recorded which offered the possibility of infection through recent handling of the article by others. Contact with papers, pencils, etc., handled remotely by others have not been included. Another point that stands forth is that our hands are dangerous to others only in proportion to the frequency with which we infect them with our mouth and nose. The present experience shows seven hand-to-nose contacts and but two direct hand-to-mouth contacts. The handkerchief thus looms up as a factor of importance. Through it we may infect our hands from our nose, which is dangerous to others, and also infect our nose with our hands which is dangerous to ourselves. Several lessons of practical value suggest themselves from the above related experience. They are: I. That we should use handkerchiefs one side of which is conspicuously colored or marked so that we may always apply the hands to one side reserving the other side for the nose. This will protect our own nose from our hands and help to prevent the infection of our hands. II. That we should abandon the universal practise of shaking hands, substituting some other less intimate method of salutation. III. That we should encourage means which will lessen the opportunity for public restaurant employees to handle eating utensils. GEORGE T. PALMER, Captain, Sanitary Corps, U. S. A. A PRELIMINARY NOTE ON A BACTERIAL DISEASE OF FOXTAIL DURING the month of September and up until the middle of November, 1918, a striking disease on foxtail (Setaria glauca (L.) Beauv.) was noticeable around Fayetteville, Ark. The disease was rather widespread in this vicinity and it is quite probable that it is prevalent throughout the state of Arkansas at least. The disease manifests itself as dark brown spots and streaks, varying in size from small, oval or roundish spots, 1-2 mm. in diameter, to elongated streaks, 2-3 cm. in length. The attacked areas are to be found on leaves, flowering stalks and glumes. The pathogen, a white, rod-shaped bacterium was isolated and obtained in pure culture. It was inoculated on healthy leaves by using a sterile, platinum needle and smearing the organism on the leaf. Within three to four days inoculated spots showed the characteristic browning of the tissue. The organism was then reisolated and obtained in pure culture from the inoculated spots. Both by spraying and by needle smears this organism was successfully inoculated on wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn and Sudan grass; it was reisolated and obtained in pure culture from each of the above-named hosts. Infections were also obtained on sorghum and millet but no reisolations have been obtained from these up to the time of writing. Judging from the appearance of infected plants in the greenhouse all the cereals mentioned, except corn and the various grasses of the Sorghum group, are quite seriously attacked. The effect on oats is not unlike the halo blight recently described by Miss Elliott2 and it is likely that the organisms under discussion is the same as Mann's Pseudomonas avena. However, the identity of the organism is still in doubt and the work is being continued. H. H. ROSEN AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS THE AMERICAN METRIC ASSOCIATION THE following is a summary of the proceedings of the second annual meeting of the American Metric Association (156 Fifth Avenue, New York City), held in Baltimore on December 27 and in Washington on December 28. Mr. David A. Molitor, consulting engineer, outlined his work for the C. E. Schmidt Co., of Detroit, tanners. He found that about 500 different commodities were being purchased for the use of this company and that they were received in many different units of weight and measure. It became clear that economy would be effected by entering the weight or measure of all material received in 1 Since this article was written the organism has also been reisolated from these hosts. 2 Elliott, C., "Bacterial Oat Blight," Phytopath. 8: 489, 1918. 3 Manns, T. F., "The Blade Blight of Oats," Ohio Agri. Exp. Sta. Bul. 210, 1909. metric units. This step was taken with great success. The metric weights and measures were then used exclusively throughout the factory. The output of the factory was increased approximately 50 per cent. with the same working staff. The weighing in one department had previously been made by an expert in the old weights and measures. After the change to the metric system, this work was done by a laborer with fewer mistakes than formerly. Mr. Molitor estimated that a saving of approximately 20 per cent. could be effected in the bookkeeping and calculations of factories which introduced the metric weights and measures throughout. Dr. C. O. Mailloux, consulting engineer, chairman of the United States Committee of the International Electro-Technical Commission, told of his practical experiences in the use of the metric system in the United States and foreign countries, describing his last interview with Sir John Wolfe Barry, who designed the London Bridge and other engineering enterprises in England. He expressed to Dr. Mailloux his firm conviction of the desirability and necessity for adopting the metric weights and measures in England and discussed the practical steps contemplated for their general use. Dr. Mailloux pointed out the fact that the electrical units throughout the world were based on metric weights and measures and that this in itself was indicative of their ultimate adoption for all purposes in America and England. Mr. Jesse M. Smith, past president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, stated that he had been in close touch with the metric move ment for fifty years. He had studied in Berlin during the winter following the Franco-Prussian War. The metric system was then used in the text-books and also for practical work throughout Germany. He had frequently used the metric system in America and other countries since then and believed it to be only a question of time when the metric system would be adopted in all parts of the world. Professor Eugene C. Bingham, of Lafayette College, was appointed chairman of the Committee on Sections of the American Metric Association. The following resolution on this subject was adopted: "Resolved, that the American Metric Association hereby requests the formation of local sections throughout the country." United States Senator John F. Shafroth, read bill S5037, which he has introduced in congress and asked for a discussion on the subject. This bill is a step toward the general use of metric weights and measures, making exceptions where such seem to be advisable for special work. The bill was endorsed by the American Metric Association. Secretary of Commerce, Honorable William C. Redfield was the principal speaker at the "Metric Dinner," held on the evening of the twentyseventh. After outlining his practical experience as a manufacturer for thirty years and his travels in other countries in the interests of his export trade, he voiced the conviction that the metric weights and measures should and would be adopted for general use in the United States. The Secretary of Commerce said in part: "I believe that the metric system offers a return to simplicity, offers an effectiveness of thought, offers more to little children in our schools if you please, which we are not justified in withholding from them."' The following officers were elected for the year 1919: President-George F. Kunz, New York; First Vice-President-Wm. Jay Schiefflin, New York; Second Vice-President-Jesse M. Smith, New York; Third Vice-President-David A. Molitor, Detroit; Treasurer-Arthur P. Williams, New York; Secretary-Howard Richards, Jr., New York. The following were among the resolutions passed: "Resolved, that the American Metric Association hereby expresses its desire to cooperate more fully with those American industries and trades using and contemplating the use of metric weights and measures. CORNELL UNIVERSITY Washington University MEDICAL COLLEGE The annual announcement, application blanks, and circular describing graduate courses may be obtained by addressing the Dear of the Johns Hopkins Medical School Washington and Monument St. School of Medicine REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION Candidates for entrance are required to have completed at least two full years of college work which must include English, German, and instruction with laboratory work in Physics, Chemistry and Biology. INSTRUCTION Instruction begins on the last Thursday in September and ends on the second Thursday in June. Clinical instruction is given in the Barnes Hospital and the St. Louis Children's Hospital, afiliated with the medical school, the St. Louis City Howpital, and in the Washington University Dispensary. COURSES LEADING TO ACADEMIC Students who have taken their premedical work in Washington University, are eligible for the degree of B.S. upon the completion of the first two years of medical work. Students in Washington University may pursue study in the fundamental medical sciences leading to the degree of A.M. and Ph.D. For catalogs and all other information, address BALTIMORE, MD. TULANE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE P. O. Box 770, New Orleans, La. |