Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-08-19

provided always you give them the
proper conditions. These conditions
are to be 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 into a mixture of glu-
cose or starch, in the presence of
warmth and moisture sets up fer
mentation. If the mixture be Starchy
dough the yeast first changesa portion
of the starch into glucose and then de-
composcs the glucose by changing it
into two new substances, viz. carbonic
acid gas and alcohol.
Now the gluten, which is also con-
stitucnt of dough and moist starch,
affords. 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 ''pose" as an alarm
list, nor am l 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-raised bread, l have not the
slightest cause to doubt that other dis
eases have been and will be carried
about in the bread.
have met journeymen bakers, suf-
fcring from cutaneous diseases, work
ing the dough in the bread trough with
naked hands and arms. / suppose l
need scarcely say this was put stop
to in very short order. have no rea-
son to suppose bakers are less liable to
cutaneous diseases than are other
men, and | know, as evory house
wife knows, ycast-raised bread
must be worked u long time. This
is an exceedingly Objectionable
thing from the standpoint of 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 un-
dcrgo before they perform any kind OF
surgical operation. Any person who
has ever kncadcd dough understands
the way in which the dough cleans the
hands. In other words, this naeaZs
that any germs which may have found
n lodging place on the hands of the
baker before he makes up his batch ot
bread are sure to find their way into
the dough, and once there, to find al
the conditions necessary for subdi
vision and growth. This is equivalen,
TO saying that we must rely on hcat.tc
kill these germs, because it is almost
certain that they will be there. Now
underdone or doughty bread is q form
which every man and woman has seen
Ittis belief as old as the hills thai
uuuerdone bread is unhealthful. This
reputation has been earned for it by
the experience of countless genera
tions, and no careful mother will wisl
her children to cat bread that has no
been thoroughly cooked. The reasoI
given for this recognized unhealthful
ness has been that the uncoolSed yeas
dough is very difficult to digest, ant
this reason has value. No one but
physician would be apt to think of dis
ease germs which have not been killeC
during the process of baking as
cause of the sickness following th
use of uncoolied yeast bread. Yet thi
result from this cause is more thai
probable. l have not the slightes
doubt that could we trace back som
of the cases of illness which we NEE
in our practice we would find tina
germs collected by the baker hav
found their way into the yeast bread
that. the heat has not been sufficient t
destroy them, that the uncoolSed yeas
bread has been eaten and with it tn
aolopies of germs, that they hay