New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-29
AS TO OUR ICE.
Awakening to Need for Purity in
This Cooling Agency.

There was q time, ana tnat was nol %
very long ago, when people generally be-
lieved that ANY old thing" IN the shape
of frozen water that would keep perishable
foods from spelling or would make OF the
tepid fluids of the heated term cool and re-
freshing beverages met all requirements
They questioned not the hygienic condition
of the ice they used; for they, with simple
faith. relied on the old adage that water
in freezing purifes itself" The unthink-
ing. uniformed many doubtless still rely
.on that old theory, which is now known OF
all who have examined into the matter, to
be true only Of water which has cryslahlZeu
well below the surface.
It is a hopeful sign-and the movement
makes for public health-that the ranks
of those who are beginning to inquire into
this pregnant matter are swelling in rap
idly increasing ratio. This is due, in large
measure to the fact that the studious,
thinking few, in putting forth the results
of their researches, are using more and
more freely for the dissemination of the
knowledge they acquire, and Of the discoV-
cries they make, the vehicles that appeal
to the general public, instead of, as i'll the
not so distant past, combining themselves
to the technical prints that are sought and
read only by those of their kind and class
The newspaper, the magazine and the
periodical are the sources from which the
far greater part of the American people
derive their mental pabulum; and. despite
the sneers of the cognoscenti, these pub
lications nave pretty well lived up TO their
responsibility. And that the value OF their
service is receiving a constantly ncreas-
ing acceptance. and the rapidly extending
SURFACES of those true benefactors of the
race. the real devotees of the sciences
sanitation and hygiene may be noted IN the
fact that there has been more, from them,
appearing in the lay press in the past year
than in a decade before.
In many instances the dicta of science
had reached, been examined into, and,
in part, acted upon by those placed In au-
thority over them in such matters. by the
people themselves, before they had even
begun to be circulated among the latter by
their other alert servant, the press; in fact,
twas often the case that the latter abruptly
raised the curtain on a stage ready set,
but with its actors not quite prepared to
present the play TO a general audience.
Fer example, that department of govern
nent whose duty it is to look after the food
supply has delicate task before it al such
times 1t may not, the instant it discovers
a menace to health in the product of some
industry, in which millions of dollars are in
vested. and in which thousands OF people
are EMPLOYED, wipe it out of existence; nor
NAV it rob the industry of the patronage
from which it derives support by throw
ing a scare into a public always easily
frightened where its health is concerned.
1t must ere it proceeds TO extremities. try
10 ameliorate, or change, the conditions II
may not approve. and thus, perhaps. save
the industry to the country.
Thus. when those in the service OF the
people have made up their mind that the
use CT unclean ice in contact with animal
foods is a menace 10 the public health. they
do not directly demand that only the ice
they have, by exhaustive test, and through
closest scrutiny of the processes, the condi-
lions. and surroundings through. under and
amid which it is produeed-the manufact-
ured ice-be employed in the cooling opera
tions OF the packing and provision trades
They simply fix d standard for ice intended
IN he used lin contact with foods TO which
only the artificial approach, while plaC-
ing little or no restriction upon that used
10 keep the offal or inedible trimmings that
are to be converted into grease for me-
cha niual purposes. 1t goes without saving,
however. that the trades mentioned, which,
like all others-at least In this WldeaWake
oUntly-conduct their business operations
along the lines of least resistance, VIII buy
or 6indeed. as do many OF their merabers)
e0uip FOR the manufacture of the artificial
ice for use for the first and will only use
that the purity OF which can be disputed
the uatural-for the second. and baser. pur
pose.
And when the public learns this through
its watchful guardian. the press. what must
he its deduction? Why. that that which
is deemed by professional food purveyors
10 be the only safe ice 10 bring IN contact
with their edible animal food products must
he the only ice il can. without risk use in
its beverages, and for the preservation of
lis perishable foodstuffs and of liquids
despite this, il cannot be truthfully said
that all of New York City's natural ice sup
ply is impure; but, rather that. being sub
iect TO no proper governmental control, IL
Is all under suspicion in the public mind.
for the layman cannot discriminate And
there are many other reasons than that
here given for the confidence in artificial
ice that is not entertained for the natural,
reasons which sqill be set forth later,