The Yale expositor., 1913-12-18

hldnuduB on CONTACT VIII SOME m0lal,
as copper, tins, zinc, lead or iron. The
presence of traces was formerly
suggested by some chemists in ex.
PLANTATION of certain causes of poison
! ing.
more recently IL has been shown
that such metals when found are
present only In traces and not in
sufficient quantity to produce serious
results. The true cause OF such food
poisoning is found in the byproducts
of bacterial growth. Such products
are frequently highly poisonous and
commonly known as ptomaines.
"Ptomaine poisoning results when a
class of food known as protoid, OF
which meat is the most important
type, is consumed after being acted
upon by bacteria In order to pro-
duce the greatest amount of poison,
il is necessary for such bacteria TO be
inclosed within the food and not d.
rectly exposed to air. Most cases of
ptomaine poisoning, therefore, occur
with food that has been chopped,
hashed, ground, or otherwise disn-
tegrated, thus carrying bacteria to
the interior
"Sausages and preparations such as
creamed chicken, meat pie, Irish stew,
etc, are among the most frequent
TO cause ptomaine poisoning for that
reason. Some of the seafoods as
clans, oysters, ETC., frequently con-
tain large numbers of bacteria in
their interior and may also produce
ptomaine poisoning when exposed to
conditions under which bacteria null
tiply rapidly. Recently in one in
stance over 40 persons we're made
sick from eating creamed chicken
that had been served at a public sup
per two days after it had been pre-
pared. In another instance about 60
people were made seriously i'll by eat
ing meat pie under similar condi-
tiong.
ut appears to be common practice
before church suppers, picnics and
similar functions to prepare the meats
a couple of days before hand in order
10 avoid rush at the last minute. 1t
is largely due to this practice that
ptomaine poisoning at such functions
is so frequent. There would be moth
ing wrong in cooking any kind OF
meat product day or two before 1t is
served if the cooks would let it alone
and leave 1t covered in the original
vessel in which it was boiled until
read for use. But in attempting to
transfer or handle the product, bac-
terra are pretty sure to be introduced
and lack of refrigeration permits the
bacteria to multiply and produce the
poisonous byproducts that will de-
stroy the bacteria themselves but will
not ordinarily destroy the ptomaine
they have produced"
THE twentieth century has been
with us for some time," says d. r.
Mcclure, assistant secretary of the
state board of health, "but the twen-
tieth century city is several years be-
hind. II is on the way and 1t will ar
rive. It is a matter OF evolution, just
as all charges are a matter of either
revolution or evolution.
Improvements in municipal govern
ments are slow TO establish. This is
due to poor leadership. foreign ele-
ments unused to liberty and a low
civic standard.
THE movement from country to
city is not confined 10 the United
States although we are rapidly becom-
ing a nation of cities. The grave
problem confronting many nations
now is the city where wealth is be-
ing amassed and it is there that the
highest order of intelligence is need
ed to confront problems which threat.
en- our national life.
1.-The increase of wealth within the
past half century is simply enormous.
There has been like increase OF
knowledge but often wealth and
knowledge have been horded up-have
not been placed In circulation.
THE development of the United
States has been along state and ma.
tional lines rather than along mu-
nicipal lines and this is SO today. The
principles of national and state gov.
eminent are we'll settled and clearly
defined but those of municipal govern
ment are confused and uncertain. We
are as yet in the experimental stage
and need the insight and genius Of
the highest statesmanship to solve
the new and complex problems Of the
city.
Homes are disappearing in the
city at the two social extremes.
Among the money bags" hotel and
club life is being substituted for home
life. At the other extreme we have
the tenements.
1.-THE housing problem must have
attention. We must also have more
parks and Fairgrounds where we can
teach children from the home of
squalor. Chen the goth century city
will become a dominating, sanitary,