The Red Cloud chief., 1893-08-25

provided always you give them the
proper conditions. These conditions
are to he found in dough which is be-
ing raised with yeast. They are
warmth, moisture and the organic
matter of the flour on which the germs,
after certain changes, feed.
1t is necessary to remember at this
point that yeast is germ growth, and
when introduced intoa mixture of glu-
cose or starch, in the presence of
warmth and moisture sets up n fer
mcntation. II the mixture be n starchy
dough the yeast first changcsa portion
Of the starch into glucose and then de-
eomposes the glucose by changing il
into two new substances, viz, carbonic
acid gas and alcohol.
Now the gluten, which is also a con.
, ~stitucnt of dough and moist starch,
riffords, with the latter, an excellent
indus for the development of germs of
disease as well as for the yeast germs.
The germs of cholera, as of typhoid
fever, would, if introduced into dough,
find very favorable conditions for their
growth.
do not wish to ''posc" as an alarm
list. nor am | willing to say there is
very much chance of the germs OF
typhus and of cholera reaching the
Stomachs of the people who eat bread
which has been raised with yeast.
But while | am not afraid that cholera
and typhus will be greatly spread by
ycast-raiscd bread, | have not the
slightest cause to doubt that otherdis-
1900. 1.-. l.x 49,. ....l -.
about in the bread.
have met journcymen bakers. suf-
fcring from cutancous diseases. work.
.ug the dough in the bread trough with
naked hands and arms. j suppose l
need scarcely say this was put a stop
70 in very short order. ] have no rca-
son to suppose bakers are less liable to
diseases than are other
men, and l know, rs every house,
wife knows, yeast-raised bread
must be worked n long time. This
is an exceedingly Objectionable
thing from the standpoint of "a physi-
clan, and for the reasons that the
germs of disease which are in the air
and dust and on stairways and straps
in street cars, are most often collected
on the hands. So well do physicians
know this that there is no ablution
practical equal to that which they I'M
dergo before they perform any kind of
surgical operation. Any person who
has ever kncadcd dough understands
, the wa in which the dough cleans the
nands. In other words, this means
that any germs which may have found
lodging place on the hands of the
baker before he makes up his batch of
bread are sure to find their way into
the dough, and once there, to find all
the conditions necessary for subdi-
vision and growth. This is equivalent
20 saying that we must rely on heat to
kill these germs, because it is almost
certain that they will be there. Now,
underdonc or doughty bread is n form
which every man and woman has seen.
1t is a belief as old as the hills that
'rndcrdone bread is unhcalthful. This
E,putation has been earned for it by
I'll, experience of countless genera
ton. and no careful mother will wish
= her Children to eat bread that has not
been Thoroughly cooked. The reason
given fol this recognized unhcalthful-
ness has ben that the uncooked yeast
dough is Vry difficult to digest, and
this reason has value. No one but a
physician woSld be apt to think of dis
ease germs witch have not been killed
during the process of baking as u
cause of the sickness following the
use of uncooScd Vast bread. Yet this
result from this Cause is more than
probable. ! have rot the slightest
doubt that could we trace back some
OF the cases of illness which we meet
in our practice we wosld find that
germs collected by the baker have
found Their way into the yeast bread,
that ,he heat has not been sufficient to
des,rcy them, that the ~uncooked yeast
Srcaa has been eaten and with il the
? tolonies Of germs, that they have
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