For sanitary reasons

Presiding magistrate: “You are accused of stealing silver spoons. Can you offer any extenuating circumstances?”
Accused: “Yes. I did it for sanitary reasons.”
Presiding magistrate: “For sanitary reasons?”
Accused: “Because of the cholera. I had a cholera concoction made for myself, and the doctor said that it would be effective only if I took a tablespoon every two hours. And that’s what I did.”
(Appenzeller Kalender, Zurich, 1877)