Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-24

rtomaines are dangerous chishy be-
cause they move in such mysterious ways
their wonders to perform. They are Of
such shy and retiring nature that no.
body knows Just what causes them. where
TO look for them or how to avoid them.
and the confusion that results IL made
Just a little more confused by the'close
resemblance OF other and less harmful
germs and symptoms to the chief OF their
tribe
But one thing about ptomaines has been
established beyond question. They are
born Of putrefactlon; they live I'm NTH,
and their favorite breeding ground is anil
NAL refuse or, falling that decayed meat
tissues.
The connection between ptomalnes and
shell1sh is obvious. Shellfish are all
scavengers. Tho more delicious they are
the moro open-minded and catholic they
are sure to be in food matters.
Severe cases OF ptomaine poisoning re-
sutlng from shellfsh have done much to
spread the idea that they are dangerous.
Therefore. some people avoid them alto
gether; others eat them Unfortunately
and trust to Providence to stand between
them and the consequences.
Lobsters, crabs, oysters, clans or
shrimps taken from waters contaminated
with the sewage of city or large town
are always dangerous. The sewage is
thick with animal refuse, and the crust
aceans are as sure to get It as they are
to be served up In our restaurants and
lobster palaces. A thousand may be eaten
without harm while the thousand and
first, looking exactly like this neghbors,
may be reeking with ptomaines.
The only insurance against ptomaines
NknN akl uha On, inn
is absolute knowledge, fret, that the
savory morsel is fresh: second, that he
came from clean waters.
Tho first condition can be met by buy
ing the shelllsh alive, II they are for the
home table or insisting upon adequate
assurance of their home address and age,
II they are ordered at n restaurant.
II you cannot live without oysters in
a big city, you are comparatively safe
II you eat them only at n place which
It's whole supply as being
from uncontaminated waters and which
opens the oysters freshly for each order
Public opinion ought to induce any alert
keeper to furnish ample proofs
that he has compiled with the first con-
diton. AS for the second, you can be
pretty sure Of fresh oysters, II you order
a box stew. The name means that X Is
made from oysters freshly opened for
immediate cooking.
Ptomaines are usually blamed for the
serious discomfort that results from eat
Ing stale fish. But in this case they are
seldom responsible, the mischief arising
from another set of germs that cause
somewhat the same symptoms, but are
not so dangerous. But even this cannot
be- depended upon, for any stale fish has
Il quite within it's power to harbor the
true ptomalnes.
Tho same may be said OF canned goods,
milk, butter, Ice cream, cheese,
even of decomposed fruits and vegetables.
In fact. hardly any food product is ex-
ampt from suspicion, IL it hasswithir It
the germs OF putrefacton.
Tho fear Of canned goods is warranted
only when an inferior grade is used. In
a well-conducted cannery only the fresh
est and cleanest materials are selected
and these are put up under sanitary con-
iitions, so that first-class canned goods
are among the purest and safest of foods
The danger comes when decayed meats,