The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-06-23
DEATH FROM TAINTED FOOD.

A case of death by poison which occur
red few days ago in a ncighboring Stat,
furnishes a good example of the risks tina
are run by people who are not oyer-care
full as to the condition of the food they eat
The woman i'll question appears to have
had always liking for meat in that state
which is usually denominated "high," SC
much SO indeed that the odor of its incip.
lent decomposition which was a warning
to the other inmates of the house to re-
frain from partaking was to her an addi-
tional spur to appetite. With her vita
ted or demoralized taste, she ate tainted
food in the shape of putrefying mutton
once too often for the poison of putrefac-
ton acting upon her system transmitted
come of its albuminOns ingredients into
! the deadly neurine which a post-mortem
! examination revealed in her stomach
This death is typical of many cases which
occur regularly in hot weather, when care
is not exercised in the handling and con-
sumption of spoiled food. Many people,
like the woman whose death has Just been
referred to, are of opinion that meat is
not worth eating until it has been made
tender by hanging for week or so. Some
epicures in game for instance consider it
a sort of sacrilege to eat pheasant or
partridge until the tail feethcr by which
it has been suspended has given away,
and the bird has dropped "ripe and
gamy," or venisOn until 1t has fallen from
the hook, rank and putrid. The note of
warning in all such cases sounded by the
eye and more particularly by the nose
should he attended at once. No sooner !
does the eye detect at any spot in piece !
OF meat that OminOuS moisture with the !
sweaty suppurating appearance, than the !
knife should forthwith be applied to cut
ting away the suspicious portions, and
the remainder, if not thrown away, cook
ed immediately. The moment the nasal |
organ receives and gives intimation,
through the unmistakable tainted Odor
with which every one is familiar, that
food has begun to spoil, from that mo-
ment the food is dangerous to eat. And
in hot weather it is doubly dangerous; for
then decomposition, once set in advances,
with far more fatal speed than at lower
Considerations of economy
Ire very frequently allowed, especially
~ thrifty housewives, to override this
,aution. They think it nothing short of
in to knowingly and deliberately throw
way piece of meat simply because it
las begun to affect the olfactory nerve a
title unpleasantly. And, as it jumps with
heir parsimonious tendencies, they lay
he junction. to their souls that the mis-
hief, if any exists, can be got rid of by
'oiling the tainted flesh. This last is a
allacy without a shadow of grounds in
eason or experience. Meat can be pre-
erved i'll hot weather for longer time in
is cooked than i'll it's raw condition, but
nee putrefaetion has set in, the boiling
Dr hours will not remove the poisoning
ERIN that decomposition has introduced.
The frequent deaths that have been re-
ortcd of late summers, both in America
nd other countries, from this cause,
hould put caterers OH their guard against S
Safeguarding the admonitions of tile eye {
nd the nose in respect of spelling food.
The evidence of these senses combined
not i'll all cases a sufficient prcmonition
danger from putrescence; for OCCASION ]
lily the poisOns of putrefacton are both 1
olorlesS and inodOrOus. affecting neither
he eye nor the nostril. But as a general i,
nie, the nose may be taken to be a relia-
lie guardian of safety; and as soon as it Is
as sounded its note of alarm, the atlmo- i
ItIon should be straightway caught up
nd vigorously acted.-IN. o. States.