The increasing awareness in public health circles of the transmission of microparasites and disease in public places led to the outlawing of the public drinking cup. Soon thereafter it was realized that repeated use of hand towels by public lavatory users also "spread disease. In 1913 Massachusetts, Ohio, and Michigan passed laws prohibiting the use of common towels. In 1914 the "Air Towel," an electric hand drier, was invented by J. M. Ward. First installed in public rest rooms in the District Building in Washington, D.C., the air towel allowed patrons to'dry their hands by placing them over heated coils across which air was blown by an electric fan.