The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 1911. BLOOD-POISONING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 102, 20 June 1911, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 1911. BLOOD-POISONING.

—o Quito recently Mr. Charles Johann Vaclor, the general manager of a prominent Sydney business firm, died in somewhat unusual circumstances from the effects of. blood-poisoning. He Had had his hair cut a short time before in a suburban saloon, the barber using clippers in the ordinary manner. Afterwards Mr. Voder complained of a scratch on the skin caused by the teeth of the machine, and later an eruption was noticed, together with symptoms of blood-poisoning. .The medical men who attended deceased think that death was in a large measure accelerated by the wound having been caused by an uustcrilised set of clippers. However, it is said that Mr. Vader had not been in the best of health, so it is thought quite possible that a stronger person,would-have recovered. The incident caused some stir in Sydney, and a question was asked ii; Parliament as to whether the Government would take steps to ensure that barbers are compelled to keep the instruments used in their trade clean. 'The reply vouchsafed by the Acting-Premier was to the effect that the President of the Board of Health did not think there was any law under which precaution against inI faction in this way could be enforced; if thought necessary. A most unsatisfactory answer, wo should imagine, because no promise avas given that some provision would ho made to legislate iu the direction asked, although it is generally admitted that a large number of tiio barbers’ shops in New South Wales—especially in Sydney—are provided with up-to-date methods for sterilising the implements used for shaving and hair-cutting. However, a Sydney contemporary considers that the death of Mr. Vader is likely to cause the public to bo careful in selecting tlio saloons in which they have their hair trimmed, as there can ho no idoubt that many barbers do not exercise the caution which they should, j How repeatedly has one seen many men waiting for their turn in an ordinary suburban hairdresser’s establishment? “Next, please,” the"barber calls, and somebody springs into the vacant chair. Meantime the hairdresser or his assistant walks to the hoi-water urn, sluices the shaving mug, and then gets misy on the customer without even washing tlie brush. Occasionally the brush is put under n tap and hurriedly washed. But the same old brush is used on everybody. Some persons are not over-particular, but others arc more fastidious, though not caring to create an arghment. The man who lias just been shaved or had bis hair cut might take any remarks as reflecting upon his ■ personal cleanliness. The proprietor of one shop, who had been interviewed among others, stated that ho was thinking of adopting a London idea, which, though expensive, lie believed wmjd bo profitabloxiu the long run. Ho bad on an average 800 to ‘IOO customers a day, ami the idea was that there should be about .100 brushes in use. That would mean that every man could rely upon having an absolutely clean brush. The brushes would be laid on a tray, and when once used would be transferred to another tray to be taken away ami cleaned. He thought that when the fact became known the outlay on brushes —the best, ok 'Which cost [‘is a pair—would soon bo retrieved.