Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1910-06-03
SOMETHING ABOUT ICE
thing to Say concerning this
Summer Necessity


Prices for food stuffs have been increas-
ed in spite of public protest, until COM
met on the fact f an additional cent or
two on pound of meat or a dozen eggs,
has stalled, and the publics stock of in
dignation has run out. The cost of liv-
ing has been variously estimated at from
twenty to forty percent, more than even
a few years ago, and comparison of food
prices thirty years ago and now seems to
warrant the higher figures. All the
more remarkable is it, therefore, that
the fact that one great necessity of life
is cheaper than year ago. has so far es-
capped notice. One commodity alone
has been gathered in larger quantities
than usual, and the consumer gets the
benefit. That commodity ice, the sea-
son for the greatest use of which is just
opening. Not only is ice lower in price
than last year, but it is lower than the
average of thirty years. Of no other
food product can that be said.
The fact that ice is cheaper than usual
goes further than the mere price of the
ice is concerned. By it's liberal use the
thrifty housewife can reduce the daily
food expense for her family quite mat
erially all during the year. Cheap ice,
therefore means lower cost of living
for every family. Instead of purchasing
small quantity of meat, for instance,
just enough for one dinner if she has an
ice box or refrigerator, the good wife
can buy large roast at saving of a
cent or two a pound and keep the unused
portion for cold meats the second day
SO butter can be bought in jars or pals
at a saving and kept in the ice box in
perfect condition until used.
Thus the use of ice will save money
for the houskeeper. will keep foodstuffs,
and uncooked, in perfect condition and
be an ever ready convenience. Then
there is the saving through the check
ing of waste of good leftover dishes by
careless maids and the loss by decay.
Both of these items are large in every
household, particularly in America fam
lilies, for our French critics say a second
family could live on the waste of the av +.
erage American home. Thus with plen-
ty of ice family can live as well for
less money, or better for the same money
than if ice was not used.
Nor is there anything but good which
can follow the use Of natural ice in the
home. With perfect safety ice can be
put in and on foods and drinks to cool
and preserve them. 1t is impossible that
any ill effects would follow to those who
eat and drink food so treated. This is
true, because natural ice undergoes two
processes of publication before it is de-
| livered to householders. First, accord
ing to the Massachusetts State Board of
Health, ice is from 80 to &c. 1% purer
than the water on which it forms. Sec.
| ondly, during storage in the ice houses
which lasts over period of from two to
four months, the prolonged cold renders
the ice sterile. In this connection, DIR.
Eugene Porter, Health Commissioner of
New York State said in an address the
other day.
"There is hardly a thing on the public
markets today that is consumed in the
households of this state, that is less
liable to convey infection, and that
is less dangerous to the community at
large, than natural ice DR.. Porter said
further that before he investigated the
subject thoroughly. he was afraid to put
ice in water to drdk, but now he knows
that ice stored as long as natural ice al
ways is before delivery, is sterile and
harmless.
Thus any thought Of danger in putting
food in an ice box, or natural ice in tea,
coffee or milk, or upon butter, ETC., may
be set aside in view of the statement of
scientists that there is no possible dan
ger, and of the Health Boards of Massa-
chusetts and New York that there are
no cases on record where natural ice has
carried any disease" and "that from its
nature and method of harvest it cannot
| be bearer of disease"