Page:Personal beauty how to cultivate and preserve it in accordance with the laws of health (1870).djvu/138

 The particles of food which remain between the teeth soon ferment, and become injurious to the enamel. Therefore, after every meal the mouth should be well rinsed with water, as near the natural temperature of the body as may be. Next, a toothpick should be employed to extract whatever fragments have not been removed. The best toothpicks are of quill, tortoise-shell, ivory, or gold. No other materials, neither wood nor base metals, should be chosen.

The toothpick is an instrument of the toilet much less employed by ladies in this country than in Europe, and than it deserves to be. In Germany, vases of them are placed on the dinner-table with as much regularity as the saltcellar. It is related of Prince von Kaunitz, Prime Minister of Maria Theresa of Austria, and greatest fop and diplomatist of his day, that in this respect he was so finical that whenever he went out to dine, he had his servant bring a box containing all sorts and shapes of toothpicks. These he would use between the courses. One day, a guest, who disliked the supercilious old nobleman, cried out to a servant, "Waiter, bring the Prince von Kaunitz some towels and water. He forgot to make his toilet before coming." After that, the Prince never accepted an invitation to dine out, even with the Empress. Poor man! He was so afraid of death that he would never permit the word to be mentioned in his presence. By devoting himself to his health, he lived beyond fourscore,