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130
for attachment to Telephones on the ground that they
improve the Service or have some hygienic advantage. As
in nearly all cases these attachments have the effect of
either damaging the Apparatus or impairing its efficiency—
in many cases both—Subscribers are reminded that under
the conditions of their Telephone Service the use of such
Appliances or Attachments is, in general, prohibited. The
sale to the public of certain Appliances which have no
such prejudicial effect has been sanctioned by the Post
Office, and Subscribers should, before purchasing any
Telephone Attachments, satisfy themselves that their use
has received official sanction. It is the duty of the Post
Office Engineers to remove any Attachments which have
not been officially approved."
Most users of the telephone will agree that any appliance which
has the effect indicated is not likely to be very enthusiastically received
by the public at large, and in any case I have little faith in the effieacy
of these caps or coverings from a sanitary point of view.
Some persons in using a telephone place their mouths so close to
the mouth-piece as to be actually in contact, and in this practice the
danger lies. If care is taken, when holding a conversation, to keep the
face at a reasonable distance from the instrument no one runs any great
risk; but, if only on aesthetic grounds, I think it should be possible for all
users of a public telephone, before holding a conversation, to cleanse the
mouth-piece for themselves if they so desire. This suggestion could be
easily carried out if each call office were provided with a box (similar to
those now in use in all Post Offices for distributing telegraph forms)
filled with suitable sanitary paper. A sheet could be abstracted and
the mouth-piece cleansed. Paper of this description is so cheap
that the present charge of 2d. per call should not be increased in consequence
of the adoption of this arrangement.
Smoke Nuisances.
During the year, observations in this connection were kept in 24
instances by the sanitary inspectors. In 3 cases intimation notices
were sent, and in 1 instance it was found necessary to serve a statutory
notice.