Fig. 69. The common drinking cup—a fruitful source of infection.
Fig. 70. The individual drinking cup—each cup clean and free from disease germs.
How consumption is spread from the lips:
We know that the substance which people cough up when they have consumption contains the germs that cause this disease. When they spit this matter out, many of the germs stick to the lips. This is true not only of consumption, but of the germs of other diseases, such as diphtheria, measles, and scarlet fever.
(1) By drinking cups
When there are disease germs on the lips, it is impossible for a person to drink and not leave some of the germs sticking to the edge of the cup or glass. If the germs of disease are in the mouth, every time that the person suffering from this disease drinks from a cup, he leaves some of the germs on the edge of it. The next person to drink from that cup may get the germs into his mouth.
Fig. 71. A sanitary drinking fountain for public places.
Always avoid drinking from a cup or glass from which another person has been drinking. You can never tell who may have disease germs in his mouth, or when you may get them on your lips by drinking from the same cup. Each individual should have his own cup and should never let any one else drink from it.
(2) By putting pencils into the mouth