Calculated Kiss

As science professor in a Baltimore high school, Bacteriologist Arthur H. Bryan found himself stumped by an obvious question: "Is kissing dangerous?" Physicians, it seemed, had not given much thought to the problem, yet to Dr. Bryan so fundamental a question seemed worthy of serious scientific inquiry. So he called for volunteers.

Those who thought they were signing up for a controlled petting party soon learned their mistake. Dr. Bryan persuaded youths and adults of both sexes to plant their lips firmly against sterile glass slides or gooky agar plates while he held a stop watch. After intervals ranging from two to ten seconds, he took the specimen and cultured it to see how many colonies of bacteria had been transferred. His chief findings:

P: From two to 250 germ colonies may switch sides during a kiss, but 95% are harmless.

P: A long-drawn-out kiss transfers twice as many germs as a two-second buss.

P: Women's lipsticks (and men's chapsticks) cut down the germ count, because most are made with a mild antiseptic, and the heavy base tends to suffocate the colonies.

Dr. Bryan's summation: "Since man is a social creature, he must expect risks in social contact, even in petting parties. The only alternative is to become a hermit or a bore. Kissing can be not only a pleasant but a harmless pastime if ordinary lip and mouth hygiene is practiced." But Dr. Bryan still refuses a flat answer to the original question. If the partner happens to be in the early stages of a serious infection (such as strep throat), a kiss can still be dangerous. It involves a calculated risk.

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