Medicine: Kiss v. Shake

Because Americans, Englishmen, Germans, Dutchmen, Swedes, Lithuanians, Poles, Danes, Armenians, Serbians, Greeks, Estonians, Syrians, Letts, Icelanders, Norwegians and especially the Japanese think it is effeminate, many a modern Frenchman has abandoned the ancient & honorable Gallic custom of greeting friends with a resounding kiss on the cheek or jaw. So widespread has become the custom of shaking hands in France that last week the august L Académic de Médecine was asked for an opinion. Weightily the Academic considered, then over the voluble opposition of a youthful minority delivered these decisions: 1) the...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!