The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1907-09-27
DISEASE FROM DIRTY
REERIGERATORS.


itself somehow antiseptic, and they
accordingly do not take the trouble to
see that their ice-boxes or refriger-
ators are kept clean. According to
DR.. Joanna White, writing in "Good
Housekeeping" this carelessness con-
stitutes distinct menace to health
in many families. Says DR.. White
"several cases of diptheria devel-
oped simultaneously in one family.
The source of their Infection was OBJ
scure, no other cases having been re-
ported to the Board of Health for sew
eral weeks. The house was we'll built
comparatively new, and in healthful
location. The nurse who was retain
ed told me on my next visit that it
would be impossible for her to remain
as she would be afraid to eat anything
kept or prepared in the house. To
prove that she was not unreasonable,
she asked me to step to the refrigera-
tor. Upon opening it, considerable
foul odor escaped, but the condition
OF the whole interior was simply ap-
palling. It was covered with a half
inch coating of thick slime.
"It seems incredible that any house.
wife, barring the most grossly ignor-
ant or careless, could allow such a
condition to arise or exist. This is
only one case among many where l
believe the specific poison Of conta-
gious and infectious diseases has been
harbored is unsanitary refrigerators.
1t is easier to overlook neglect and
earelessness in the very poor; though
even here there is no real excuse for
it, Even the upper class is not ex-
empt from the same sort of neglect.
A busy society or club woman, leav
ing the care of home entirly to ser
wants, need not expect the busy maids
to take all the intelligent care which
is so very essential
"Generally speaking, it is in the
homes Of the middle class, where only
one or possibly no maid ls kept, that
the most favorable hygienic condition
exist.
"There are so many so.called germ
diseases, where uncleanliness is, the
cause of infection, that the fight for
hygienic conditions should never be
abated. The refrigerators alone is the
source of much evil; therefore even
the busy housewife should pay parti-
cular attention to it's conditions at
all times and to the food which goes
into it,"
If the refrigerator is movable, says
Dr.. White, do not place it in the dark
est corner, but in the light and air,
preferably out-of-doors, on a piazza.
For the ordinary house, where there
is no special provision for drainage,
perhaps the safest way is to use the
old.fashiened pan, emptying and scald-
ing it twice a day. If the refrigera-
tor is built in and a piped drained
provided, this pipe should not be con-
nected with the waste water or soil
pipe or sewer, or discharged upon the
ground, but should be connected with
an open and water-supplied sink. The
connections should be short and dis
connected from the refrigerator. All
drainage pipes should be flushed twice
a week, with either a solution Of chic
rid Of lime, or washing soda, or strong
ammonia. To quote further:
The ice compartment and storage
part should be thoroughly cleansed
twice week. All removable parts
should be taken out for greater ease
in cleansing. All parts should be
washed in good soap and hot water,
with clean cloth or brush, then thor
oughly scalded, after which 1t it well
to 60 over the lining with some chic
rid solution, a caustic cleaning solu-
tion, or strong solution Of borax and
water.
"Watch for the iceman and have
ready good pitcherful of clean water
with which to rinse the ice. 1t will
take only moment, and your care in
cleansing will not be defeated.
"All food should be inspected and
prepared for storage. Keep milk sup
ply in closely covered receptaclee,
preferably glass. Butter should also
be covered, as these two foods are
very apt to absorb impurities. Most
fruits and vegetables can and should
be washed and wiped or drained be-
tore storing in refrigerator" Il
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