Danger From Postage. Stamps.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 5699, 1 July 1902, Page 1

Danger From Postage. Stamps.

The'" London Lancet" has an article in regard to the danger of moistening postage stamps with the lips or tongue. Ii; says that when one considers how postage stamps are handled, and how they are left lying about in all sorts of places, there must always be a danger of infection from septic matter, so long as the habit of licking them is persisted in. The " Lancet** ■ claims that cases of blood poisoning have been directly traced to these practice, and the fact, therefore, that the postal authorities do all in their power to protect the public by the materials used in the stamps dpea not do away with one of the greatest; sources of danger t>thoi|!who insist on. moistenig stamps with their tpngues. The new penny stamp, with the King's head, is coloured red with an aniline dye which ia peculiarly resistant to atmospheric action, or the action of moisture. Indeed, some adhesive material used is dextrin, or British gum, in all instances. The "Lancet" 1 argues, therefore, that, from a chemical standpoint, stamps are not poisonous, the only objection to them being that they may easily retain some septic matter which might, when introduced into the system, make trouble. Looked at from any point of view, the wetting of postage stamps with the tongue is an unclean practice, and yet it is such a convenient way of attaching the stamps that most people never stop to think of the danger they thus need" lesSy run.—" Boston Herald."