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CHAPTER VI.

The above heading may at a glance surprise the reader, since the most of people treat the same as of but little moment in any aspect from which it may be viewed. It, however assumes an importance when the fact of venereal disease being contracted by kissing, is verified by observation and research. Dr. Naphey, and others eminent in our profession are firm in this belief. One would be far from an ordinary reasoner who did not concede the probability, since venereal diseases affect mucus tissues, not only in the organs of generation, but those of the nose and mouth. It matters little how a venereally diseased tissue comes in contact with sound tissue of the same texture, or quality, if the most healthy is not affected, it is because of an unusual power to resist disease, that very few people possess.

Those eminent in the profession estimate that twenty-five per cent. of the people are tainted in some degree with venereal disease. One of the best authorities in Cincinnati, Ohio, states that thirty per cent. Of the children born alive, die before one year of age, and that fully one-fourth are from some syphilitic taint.

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This is but a sample of most of our cities, although some of the larger ones have a still greater proportion. The habit of kissing children is a pernicious one-- for if they are tainted with the loathsome disease it may not make a positive appearance until about the time of puberty, or still later in years; still it is better to avoid danger by such familiarity. On the other hand the tender and susceptible lips of the young ought not to be kissed by those of mature years who may be severely affected, although no symptoms are visible in the face, and no marked ones in the mucus membrane of the mouth, although some parts out of sight may be badly ulcerated.

But aside from diseases contracted, the habit of general kissing is a reprehensible one, since it leads to greater familiarity -- there are "holy kisses" from women that are far from being holy in the estimation of men who are so sensual that the least kissing or petting of any kind arouses the animal passions. Married women have said that they never dared to make the least demonstration of affection, as it aroused their husband's passions so that no matter how much they loathed sexual relations at the time, there was no peace until they yielded to sexual embrace, and they very soon learned that the only way to live in a way to control their own person was to assume indifference to petting and kissing. If men were to control such emotions and live as though

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life had some elevated sentiment of affection as well as of the sexual passion they would find many a happy home with disagreeable wives. Women often think as men ought to understand them that what often is the result of ignorance, is a total indifference to their wife's desires, so long as their own inclinations are gratified.

Parents wrong their children by urging or commanding them to kiss people that are disagreeable to them. Men make their children and wives kiss corpses at funerals of near relatives when they loath the idea, but dare not refuse to obey when told to do so in a low and meaning tone. Kissing at meeting and parting in this country is so common that but few have considered the matter until they have lived half a life time and observed that a great part of it is only endured by one of the party, and is often disgusting, although from fear of offending, the real emotions are suppressed. Whoever by reason of superior strength would kiss another without the perfect assent of the second party, would, if under no fear of the consequences, take the basest advantages of womanhood, disregarding the most sacred of individual rights of person, under all circumstances in life.

And whoever ignores such individual rights sets himself down as a tyrant, whether the ruling motives of such a person are guided by ignorance or by

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selfishness. It is a crime upon the physical but a still greater one upon the soul, that must ever call forth hatred that may not be loud, but a silent hatred that is deep and bitter.

The old years of a man's life who does not acknowledge a wife's right of perfect control of her person under all circumstances, will be a loveless one, if not a wretched one; unblessed by the pure kiss of affection.