[(12)] Quarto, octavo, twelvemo, thirty-twomo, etc., are best, but 4to, 8vo, and [12mo] may be used, if they do not begin a sentence.
[(13)] Streets. The numerical names of streets should be spelled out, as Fifteenth Street, Twenty-second Street.
[(14)] Time. See paragraph [18]. Spell out the names of days of the week, as well as names of months.
[(15)] Titles. If John Jones has many titles following his name, it is best to set them in small capitals, as: M. D., F. R. S., PH. D., K. C. B. To set all in capitals is to give the name too little prominence. One or two titles may be set in capitals, but when there are three or four, use small capitals.
[(16)] Words. Words are preferred in legal documents, as: Jean must appear in court on the tenth of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and six.
[(17)] PS. PS. (for postscript or postscriptum) without a period or space between the letters. See MS., number ([4]), paragraph 27.
(18) Commas Essential. Commas are essential in certain cases where they are often omitted. Many printers seem to think it is treason to put a comma before and in a series of three words, and the Chicago Proofreaders’ Association omits commas in such instances. The system is slovenly, however. De Vinne properly expounds the rule. On page 253 of Correct Composition he says: “The comma is needed when the simplicity and directness of a sentence are broken by the addition or repetition of nouns, verbs, adjectives, or adverbs that do not qualify the words that directly follow.” He cites this example: “Ulysses was wise, eloquent, cautious, and intrepid.” Note the comma after cautious. Use the comma without hesitation when the qualifying words are more than two in number; as, the bay was calm, beautiful, and clear as crystal. The comma is sometimes erroneously omitted before the conjunction in such cases as: Jean, Lucinda and Alice have departed. There is no person whose name is Lucinda and Alice. Again, the impression may be made, by the omission of the comma, that Lucinda and Alice went together, and not with Jean.
Another point to be remembered is that when the words are not in pairs, the comma must be used, even if or frequently intervenes. Correct Composition, page 254. When the words are in pairs, connected by the word and, or disconnected by the word or, the comma is needed only at the end of each pair. De Vinne.
[28.] Names. Never abbreviate Jas., Jos., Thos., Geo., Wm., Theo., Chas., and other Christian names. The decorous system is to spell the names in full, except when following exact signatures in legal documents and other formal matter.
[29.] Names of States. Names of states following names of towns, except the names of Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, and Utah, are abbreviated as follows: