Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-08-06
CRACKED DISH PERIL,
Millions of Deadly Germs In Bro
ken Chinaware, Say Experts.
TWENTY-THREE KINDS FOUND

DfsheS aken FROM SuiCN LuhSh
Rooms and Hoteis-Bames UneIean
Conditions For Many Diseases.
To those who leave their offices each
noon to snatch hasty lunch the Unit
ed States government has word of
advice to offer 1t is this: Whenever
a restaurateur offers you q cracked
mug and a Clipped, seamy plate on
which food is served, flee it as you
would the pestilence. In the recesses
of those cracks lurk thousands of bac-
terra, and they draw no distinction
between the millionaire employer and
his ten dollar n week stenographer.
The bureau of chemistry, at the
head of which is DR. Harvey w. Wi
ley, has recently concluded expert
mentS on cracked china utensils taken
from the lunch rooms of Washington.
The conditions they find to exist in the
restaurants at Washington are dupli-
Gated in every big city. In New York
and Chicago where trade at quick
lunch establishments is much greater,
a far larger population of germs is
believed to have taken up its abode in
tllt NItNhS anu WV lNNH VI NA4N h"'AS
service.
The examination of the chinaware
10y the government came about as a
cesult of a crusade being waged
against unhealthful kitchens and serv-
lng rooms in the District of Columbia,
says q Washington special dispatch to
the New York Times With the ap-
proval of Secretary Wilson and DR.
Wiley the government chemists Wore
turned loose on the trail. They dis
covered millions of germs in the
cracks.
DR.. George w Stiles, meteorological
chemist of the department, had charge
of the tests Several dozen cracked
mugs, plates and saucers taken at
random from the counters of lunch
rooms and from the cafes of hotels
were examined. The result was that
DR.. Stiles discovered twenty-three
distinct species of organisms lurking
in the cracks and seams. In the final
test it was found that these organisms
ranged In number from 4S6 to 14,5S0,-
900 to every square inch.
Nearly all of the bacteria belonged
TO the family of bacillus coli. which
DR.. Stiles says "unquestionably be-
longs to the group of undesirable bac-
terra, particularly when associated
with foods In any manner"
The bacillus coli is blamed as the
cause of many inflammatory diseases,
principal among which is appendicitis.
Many of the other bacilli found in the
cracked chinaware are due to uncean
conditions. These may not be notice
able, and the kitchens of the lunch
rooms may be clean and spotless, but
the impossibility of cleansing the uten-
sis thoroughly when they are cracked
leaves the bacilli to increase and null
tiply.
The presence of the breeders of dis
ease is just as much menace to the
girl who has left her typewriter to
snatch a substantial meal of cocoa
and chocolate eclairs as it is to the
man with the dropping mustache who
regales himself each noon on coffee
and sinkerS " The bacilli are no re-
specters of persons. DR.. Stiles in dis
cussing the result of his tests says:
"This is question which must
necessarily appeal to every responsible
individual who seriously considers the
matter of eating clean and wholesome
food. When we consider the great
number and variety of organisms stud
led in relation to these cracked mugs
the question of household sanitation
becomes more imperative than ever,
and a study Of the sanitary conditions
in private and public life would in
many instances furnish startling re-
suits.
MANY of our hotels, public restau-
rants and cafes are particular to see
that splendid serving rooms are pro-
vided and elaborately furnished. which
from exterior appearances seem to be
all that could be desired for the well
fare and comfort of their guests, but
let one go behind the scenes in many
places and note the changed condi-
tions. The picture may be entirely
different from that expected.
1.-The sanitary aspect of refriGerators
and iceboxes during hot weather may
develop conditions beyond human toll
GRAFTON. Why people do not take bet
tei care Ol THESE pidCeS OF storage is
difficult to say. However, it is a re-
grettable fact that many such places
often contain highly objectionable ma
terial, and IL not intended for i'm
mediate use it often contaminates and
ruins the entire contents of the ice
box.
I'm concluding, it seems highly de-
sirable to eliminate the use of cracked
dishes for the reception of food ma
terials and to make an appeal for a
more careful observance Of the known
hygienic measures to protect our food
from unnecessary and undesirable con-
tamination"
DR.. Wiley is chngrined that the tests
We're not made sooner. If they had |
been. he believes something could have |
been done 10 drive the lurking foe of |
health from the lunch rooms of the !
cities.
IeL.