New-York tribune., 1909-03-28

serious investigation at the hands
Of science. They are many and var1ouS, ana
some OF them, such as the chalk disease OF
bread, IN frequent instances cause considerable
loss to producers. What IS commonly known
as "ropv milk" Is a disease that at least for
awhile has practically destroyed the business
Of many dairymen.
such diseases are caused by two different
kinds OF vegetable germs. bacteria, and the
spores OF fungi. Bacteria, as everybody knows,
are microscopic plants which are IN the ar ana
everywhere Most of them are entirely harm
less. but a few species are dangerous Inc
fungi in question are OF the kind known as
molds and mldews, and their spores. CORE
spending to the seeds OF higher plants, winch
are so tiny rs 10 be invisible to the naked eye.
are OmnIprcScnt.
\ lump Of dough, kneaded by the housewife
and made ready tor the oven, Is likely to con
tam a great many bacteria. and perhaps fungus
germs as well But the heat of the oven kills all
these spores and microbes, and ordinarily the
baked loaf. when 1t comes out, IS absolutely
sterile. that IS TO say, germ-tree. No KIND OF
food could possibly be safer 20 eat. Possibly
there may have been typhoid germs IN the
water used for mixing the bread: but, II so.
they are destroyed.
Are Fond of Bread
pUT what happens then, Well. under ordl-
II nary circumstances the Loaf IS allowed TO lie
exposed to the air, and the bacteria or fungus
spores floating about IN the atmosphere ma
their way % assures Of the crust MlCrobeS.nd
germs of molds are fond OF bread as human
beings are, and So they proceed to feed upon It.
multiplying with great rapldlty-
The crust. being less lSt. Is less available
as food for them than the crumb. But let a few
| spores of the chalk disease fungus get a taIr
start in the crack OF a loaf, and the vegetation
of the plant that grows from them VIII qulck4N
make. lis way into the CTumb and spread
| through the substance thereof. Then. when
the loaf is cut, the interior Will be found TO pre-
sent a most remarkable appearance, al the
pores Of the crumb being filled with dry white
powder
allv turned TO chalk. OF course It should not be
eaten But. IN addition to its unSlghtIy and ur-
wholesome appearance, the bread attacked by
this disease has a very disagreeable muSty odor-
| In earlier times this trouble was regarded as
wholly mysterious and beyond explanation
| Even nowadays it sometimes causes serious loss
| To- bakers But the mischief maker has been
identified. under the scientific name OF M0HiliG
| gdyiI5iiig, and the cure IS simple enough
| Strictly speaking. 1t is rather preventive
| than a cure. The lOaves of bread, on beng
| taken from the oven. should be put at once into
| q cool drv airv place, and kept there. Germs
| of moldS cannot propagate and multiply thtir
| species without moisture, and low tenpera-
ture is always unfavOrabe to microbes and
fungus spores.
The germs that cause diseases of bread are
mostly mold fungi As a rule, they are not dan
qcr0uS to human beings. but they make the
bread unsightlv and offensive TO the smell.
Thus a species called OrilAW dHvdHfidcHW made
a good deal of trouble not long ago at one OF the
military barracks near Paris. This Objectionable
microbe found its way into the bakeries used
for the troops and tlourishcd So nightly that
fresh loavcS supplied TO the soldiers were GOV
cred the following day with nasty looking
orange-yellow coating. Besides. the bread &C
quired a most unpleasant odor and flavor. So
that the men could not eat 1t.
Bread crumb Is first class culture NE
dunn for all kinds of microbes, including those
which produce diseases in human beings y
cut loaf exposed 10 the air, is TO them a most
attractive invitation. The moist wheat gluten
Is Just the sort of stuff IN which they can multi
PLY to advantage and maintain high vitality
Accordingly in consideration of this fact, the
intelligent housewife should take particular
care to keep her cut loaves III dry, cool place,
preferably in a tin box The tin box not only
interferCS with evaporation, thus keeping the
bread moist. but excludes microbes.
On Old Shoes and Rye Bread
nNE Of the Commonest kinds of mold Is that
~ which frequently makes its appearance on
old shoes that left for awhile in closets, un-
worn. 1t is white at first then, as II attains
&