Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-02

that l had less hesitation in the matter.
because l knew that the existing evils
could be removed with comparatively
small expenditure and improved manage
ment.
The specific evils to which called his
attention included the uncleanly condition
Of the kitchen the bad arrangement for
disposing of refuse and the fact that
the milk was kept in open vessels in the.
same refrigerators the vegetables and
meats. My information was that the milk
was sometimes left overnight in the
kitchen and mixed with fresh milk in tho
morning; that the cans sent to the dairy
for milk were often very dirty; that there
We're but two people to wash china. etc,
from the dnins-room. resulting In incom-
plete cleansing of plates and other table
ware. and that much of the help was
cheap and incompetent. l also called his
attention to the sewerage system, the
sanitary arrangements and drains, and the
litter and trash accumulated at points
on the premises and to the unpleasant and
presumably unwholesofe odors at some
places there. ] recommended to him
the installation Of A new and improved
sewerage system and free use of hot wa
ter in the dairy that no persons be allow
ed to enter the dairy but those employed
there, and that the COWS be prevented
from pastu-ins in the field through which
the sewerage flows. l also recommended
that the present kitchen be torn down
and new one built, with hygienic and
labor-saving devices. ] respectfully refer
the resident physician to that letter. to
which I have no doubt he can easily gain
access. ! have advised my friend; that.
trouble at the Old Sweet. because l was
impressed by the zeal and earnestness
of the manager in correcting existing
evils ] understood him to say that he
would not undertake the management of
the resort another year unless the kitchen
was rebuilt and new sewerage system
installed.
l must take exception to the observa-
Of nj
ing the relation of dirt and filth ''pu-
trefaction and fermentation. metallic
vessels and the development of pto-
maines in milk II is difficult, of course.
to prove conclusively that dirt and filth
always cause disease but where there
are dirt and filth we are likely to find
more bacteria, and consequently larger
proportion of disea producing bacteria.
All putrefaction is the result of bacte-
rial growth. Ptomaines are. as he states.
an "alkaloidal substance produced by the
process of putrefaction or fermentation
They are also defined as "putrefactive al
kaloids produced by bacterial growth"
obtained from decomposing tiuid-meat,
fish. old cheese. and milk undergoing bac-
terial decomposition, as well as from pure
bacterial cultures
Tyrotoxicon is the ptomaine sometimes
found in decomposins milk. Milk free
from bacteria will remain for an indefl-
mite period without any perceptible
change Milk will not become sour if it
is kept from being contaminated with
bacteria. The specific bacteria of tEro-
toXicon and the exact conditions neces-
prove. We can know certainly, however,
that it is a product of the growth of some
bacteria Therefore cleanliness is neces-
sary to preserve the safety and whole.
somcnesS of milk. AS to the danger of
ordinary tin vessels. the constituents of
milk do not act upon tin. The acids de-
veloping in the course of decomposing
milk may act upon the lead ordinarily
mixed with tin, but this action is so
sight and would require such long time
TO develop a poisonous quantity that the
milk would become too sour to tempt any
body to drink it.
The chief danger from tin vessels is the
difficulty of cleansing them thoroughly.
The cracks and joints furnish harbor-
ing places for bacteria. in which they can
be destroyed only with a high degree OF
heat: and when not destroyed. they find
in milk conditions most favorable to their
growth and development. The purpose
of my card in the Dispatch was not to
antagoniZe any one connected with the
Old Sweet, but to bestow criticism which
! thought to be deserved and to inform
the public of facts which think it should
cation to arouse hotel managers. and es-
pecially those at summer resorts. to
proper appreciation of the hygienc neces-
stiles and TO the danger to the public
health and their own interests of neglect
of proper precautions.
The fact that ] drank two glasses of
buttermilk from infected vessels Isl not
important. I may say, however, in re-
ference to that matter, that part of my
business IS to perform experiments. The
result of this particular experiment was
that / was made slightly sick myself. and
that others who drank the same milk
were more or less severely affected.
ENNION G. WILLIAMS.