The Florida star. (Titusville, Fla.) 1880-1917, 1908-07-31
CRACKED DISH PERIL.
Millions Of Deadly Germs In Bro
ken chInaware, Say Experts.
TMENTY-THREE KINDS FOUND

w "auy Otsoascs.
To those who leave their Offices each
noon to snatch hasty lunch the Unit
ed States government has a word Of
advice to offer. 1t is this: Whenever
restaurateur offers you a cracked
mug and a Clipped, seamy plate on
which food is served, fee it as you
would the pestilence. In the recesses
or those cracks lurk thousands of bac-
terra, and they draw no distinction
between the millionaire employer and
his ten dollar a 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 dupn-
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
the cracks and crevices OF the table
service.
The examination Of the chinaware
by the government came about as q
result Of a crusade being waged
against unhealthful kitchens and serv-
ing rooms In the District Of Columbia.
says a Washington special dispatch to
the New York Times. With the ap-
prevail Of Secretary Wilson and DR..
Wiley the government chemists were
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 1t was found that these organisms
ranged In number from 4S6 to 1880
900 to every square inch.
Nearly all OF the bacteria belonged
to the family Of bacillus coll. 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 in6ammatory diseases,
principal among which is appendicitis.
Many OF the other bacIlli found I'm the
cracked chinaware are due to unclean
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 a menace to the
girl who has left her typewriter to
snatch a substantial meal Of cocoa
and chocolate cellars as II 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. DIR. 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 Qf 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 aud cafes are particular To see
that splendid serving rooms are pro-
vided and deliberately furnished. which
from exterior appearances seem to be
all that could be desired for the wei
fare and comfort Of their guests, but
let one go behind the scenes in many
places and note the changed condi-
lions. The picture may be entirely
different from that expected.
The sanitary aspect Of refricerators
and iceboxes during hot weather may
develop conditions beyond human toll
Grafton. Why people do not take bet
Ter care Of these places Of storage is
difficult 10 say. However. 1t Is a re-
.,rettable fact that many such places
often contain highly Objectionable ma
1erial. and IL not intended for I'M
mediate use 1t often communicates and
ruins the entire contents Of the Ice
box.
"In concluding, 1t seems highly de-
sirable to eliminate the use Of cracked
dIsbes for the reception Of food ma
terials aud 10 make an appeal Tor a