The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1908-08-05
Government Experts Find Home
of the Bacteria Family.
DEATH Turks IN OLD DISHES

discovered. The China Under
Consideration Was Taken From
Ordinary Eating Places. Refrigo
orators and Ice Boxes a Menace.
To those who leave their offices
each day to snatch a hasty lunch
the government has a word of advice
IA offer 1t is this: Whenever a
restauranteur offers you a cracked
mug and a Clipped and seamy plate
on which food is served fee it as
YOU would the pestilence; for in the
cracks and seams Turk thousands of
bacteria, and they draw no distinc-
ton between the millionaire employ
er and his $40 a week stenographer.
The bureau of chemistry, at the
head of which is DR.. Harvey w.
Wiley, has just concluded expert
ments on cracked china utensils
taken from the lunchrOoms of Wash
ington. The conditions they find
there are duplicated in every large
city.
The examination of the cninaware
came about as a result of crusade
against unhealthful kitchens and
serving rooms. The government
chemists were turned loose and they
ran millions of germs to cover in
the cracks.
Twenty-Three Species Found.
DR.. George w. Stiles, bacteria
logical chemist, had charge of the
tests, Several dozen cracked mugs,
plates and sauCers taken at random
from lunch rooms and cafes and
hotels were examined. DR.. Stiles
discovered % distinct species of or
ganisms. In the final test it was
found that these organisms ranged
in number from 486 to 14,58O,OO0
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
bacteria, particularly when associ-
ated with foods in any manner"
Ihe bacillus coli is blamed for
many lntiammatory diseases, princi-
pal among which is appendicitis.
Many of the other bacilli found
were due to filthy conditions. The
AIchens may be spotless, but the
lilllposslbility of cleansing the uten-
Sis thoroughly when they are
cracked leaves the bacilli to null
tiply.
Dr. Stiles, in discussing the re-
suit of his tests, says:
IhlS is a question which must
necessarily appeal to every response
DIe individual. When we consider
Tue great number and variety of or
saHlSms studied in relation to these
ti@CAed mugs the question of house
noIu sanitation becomes more i'm
RSeIa'iVe than ever and a study of
oue sanitary conditions in private
~uu public life in many instances
"'u'u furnish startling results.
plnlng Rooms Perfect, Iceboxes a
Menace.
Mar, Many of our hotels, public res
.touIahtS, cafes, ETC., are particular
5plChulu ScINlnS TOOIuS
n nish provided and deliberately fur
p ~,oned' but let one go behind the
y tons. e Tie chanseu cohul-
o.oIhe sanitary aspect of refriger-
di iHLs and iceboxes may develop con-
is beyond human federation. 1t
nIaooa resretable fact that many such
t f,%oeS often contain highly objec-
cd ,Gu tn material, and if not intend
tsn iOr Immediate use it often con-
tent ,''"leS and ruins the entire con-
" ~. OF the icebox.
aIir.i. seems highly desirable to
for u ~ the use of cracked dishes
and t Il. reception of food materials
caT T 10 make an appeal for a more
giar Diul observation of the known n.y.
fo oG'c measures and to protect our
Bic rom rom Unnecessary and undesira-
~ contamination"
tests Wiley is chagrined that the
~" were not made sooner.
cracTos might have introduced a
both g "a china plank" he said, "in
IA the N,hiPou0