Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1893-08-25


But the germs of the greater part of
the germ diseases, that is, of the infec-
tious and contagious diseases, will de-
velop or increase in number without
being in the body of human being,
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 -four on which the germs.
after certain changes, feed.
It is necessary TO remember at this
point that yeast is germ growth, and
when introduced into mixture of glu-
cose or starch, in the presence of
warmth and moisture sets up fer
mentation. IF the mixture be a starchy
dough the yeast first changes portion
of the starch into glucose and then de-
composes the glucose by changing it
into two new substances, viz, carbonic
acid gas and alcohol.
Now the gluten, which is also a con-
stituent of dough and moist starch,
affords, with the latter, an excellent
indus for the development of germs of
disease as we'll 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.
I do not wish to "pose" as an alarm
list, nor am j 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
that other diseases have been and will
be carried about in the bread.
[ have met journeymen bakers, SUI
fering from cutaneOus diseases, work
ing the dough in the bread trough
with naked hands and arms / have
no reason to suppose bakers are less
liable to cutaneous diseases than any
other mon, and know, as every house
wife knows, yeast-raised bread must be
worked long time. This is an ex-
ceedingly Objectionable thing from the
standpoint of physician for the
reason that the germs of disease which
are in the air and dust and on stair
ways and straps in street cars, are
most often collected on the hands.
Any person who has ever kneaded
dough understands the way in which
the dough cleans the hands. 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 oil the conditions necessary for
subdivision and growth. This is
equivalent to saying that We must rely
on heat to kill these germs, because it
is almost certain that they will be
there. Now, underdone or doughty
bread is form which every man and
woman has seen.
It is belief Us old as the hills that
underdone bread is unhealthful. This
reputation has been earned for it by
the experience of countless genera
tions, and no careful mother will wish
her children to eat bread that has not
been thoroughly cooked. The reason
given for this recognized unhealthful-
ness has been that the uncooked yeast
dough is very difficult to digest. No
one but physician would be apt to
think of disease germs which have not
been killed during the process of bak-
ing as cause of the sickness following
the use of uncooked yeast bread. Yet
this result from this cause Is more than
probable. I have not the slightest
doubt that could we trace back some
Of the cases of illness which we meet