New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-03
Fatal. ILLNESS.

oyplan1tlOn
-,.,v or incorrectly. of the mysterious and sud
~, death of the famous musical director, Anton
ss,u calls attention afrcsh to class OF polsons
-, ore not well understood, and that probably
-, more mischief than the public generally
-so,,zes These are known as "ptomaines," and
.ocur IN various kinds of animal food.
nt,maire Is a PRODUCT OF the process Of
SUBTRACTION Very often. perhaps generally.
not process is not far enough advanced to Of
and either the taste or the sense Of smell Con-
.ucuently sus, cion is not excited, and a per-
%, eats or drinks something which contains
enough Of this taleful element to make q great
deal Of trouble.
In the summer for instance, one occasionally
hears that nearly all OF the persons who attend
A q certain picnic were stricken with violent
Illness during the ensuing evening. and that all
The doctors in the country town from which the
announcement comes were kept busy for hours
After little inquiry the fact is developed that
only those who ate ice cream were made sick
Every one else escaped. A few years ago. when
these stories first began to be related ii would
sometmes be reported that the suspicion OF
malicious poisoning was entertained: but as none
O, the ice cream was left, that theory could not
BE- verified by analysis. 1t is now known that
the cause Of most If not all, OF these distress
hg experiences was the presence Of ptomaincs In
the milk out Of which the ice cream was made.
II Is not always easy TO trace the history OF
the milk back far enough TO reveal the precise
conditions under which the ptomaines were de
yeoped But almost invariably there is some
one who can vouch for the palatability and
sweetness Of the milk, when 1t was converted
into the frozen custard which, In rural regions
passes under the name of ice cream" 1t is be
Ieved. however, that failure properly to cool
the milk Immediately after it is taken from the
cows is partial explanation of the evil. In
warm weather neglect Of this prccaution Will
favor the formation OF ptomaines. Tho amount
Of putretaction which occurs may be small. and
no doubt other conditions also exist which pro
mote the process. but they would not be opera
tive if the milk were promptly cooled.
SCHIZOMYCETES.
Quite independently OF this phase OF the sub
ect, 1t is known that putrefaction can take
place only with the aid OF certain organisms
which are very low down in the scale Of life
allied "schizomycetes. 1t Is TO kill these bac-
eria that antiseptcs are used The temper
aure at which this class Of microbes multiplies
most rapidly is between GO and 50 degrees Fab
renheit And II a quantity Of milk happens 10
acquire either more than the average proper
ton Of such organisms. from the air or any
other source. Immediately after It Is taken
from the cows. and Is allowed TO stand for n
there IS a reasonable chance that the milk will
make mischief.
l, is not particularly pleasant fact to con
Int, bn air hre. no no we
drink. and practically all Of our food-includlng
the rarcst and daintcst vIands- abound in bac-
terra Of different kinds. Most Of them are alb
solutely harmless. All of them should be II
proper precautions are taken. That Is to say,
Il vigilance IL exercised our food can usually
be kept free both from these microscopic or
ganisms which are the direct cause OF disease
IKE the typhoid bacillus and those which only
Indirectly create disorder Ptomaincs can be
sverted if putrefaction IS prevented; and putre
faction is impossible II the bacteria which are
Necessary thereto are either excluded or killed.
great variety Of solid and semi-solid foods
Of animal origin arc likely to develop ptomaines
One frequently hears OF poisoning by potted
meats In instances perhaps a metallic agent
explains the trouble. but usually. II not uni
versaly, any sickness which comes from eating
poited meats, especially II that sickness be Of
an Intestinal and painful character. IL due to
ptomaines. The stuff may taste and smell
Alright, and the most cautious purchaser may
have no cause to suspect the faint, and per
haps no employe Of the canning house which
marketed the meat may be culpable Yet the
chances are about 90 out OF 100 that upper
ceived putrefaction has set In. and ptonaincs
have been produced
PTOMAINES IN FISH.