New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-25

the only precaution. The idea seemed to be
that cold, being the foe to disease germs and
ice the application of cold, ice was immune
to infection.
MANUFACTURES OF ARTIFICIAL ICE
IN TROPICAL COUNTRIES.
The manufacture of ice by artihcially gen
Grated cold prevailed in tropical and sub-trop-
ica countries for many years before it became
common in the regions where Nature herself
provided bountiful supply each succeeding
winter. For long time, apparently, it oc-
Cured to no one that the artificial process was
worth bothering with in cold climate. Then
the development Of the germ theory OF dis
ease and the belief that pernicious microbes
survived in water even after it was frozen
gave an impetus to the sale OF artificial ice IN
northern ATTITUDES. The process was improved
and cheapened and the promoters, naturally.
lost no opportunity to boast the superior pur-
ity of their product Scares in various localities
over typhoid attributed to ice in drinking
water increased the demand for manufactured
ice and quickened the development OF the in
dustry.
From the consumers standpoint the ice
problem presents the following questions:
What kind of ice to buy natural or artificial.
How to protect ice from contamination
after it reaches his possession.
How to use ice so as to get the best results
both sanitary ard economical.
Statistics of the ice trade here show that at
present the artificial product is decidedly in
favor. The plants in New York City turn out
&c NAL
to the total capacity of the cehouses along
the Hudson River the greatest natural ice
field in the country. Moreover, the Hudson
River icehouse capacity has decreased about
rs per cent in the last ten years. So much
for the figures.
HYGIENIC AND ECONOMICAL ARGU-
MENTS OF MANUFACTURERS.
The ice manufacturers argue that their
goods are superior not only from the stand
point Of hygiene but the ground OF econ
ony. There is no doubt that twenty-five
pound cake of artificial ice lasts longer than
the same weight of natural ice, especially in
summer Manufactured ice reaches the house
hold refrigerator, as rule, only few hours
from the freezing cans and at temperature
from 10 to Is degrees above zero. Natural
ice may be far colder than this when 1t is
first cut but when delivered, anywhere from
few weeks to a year or two after storage, 1t
is near the melting point. The cake OF natural
ice has begun to melt and become porous, so
that it exposes a larger surface to the acton
of heat Under similar conditions artificial
ice lasts from 10 to 20 per cent longer than
its rival.
But this matter has practical side, which
must not be overlooked Frequently block
of artificial ice is so cold that it will lie in
the ice chamber long time before 1t begins
to melt. In this state it has no more re-
frigerating effect than twenty-five pounds OF
brick or wood AS l have stated already, ice
absorbs heat from its surroundings only when
it melts To put it scientifically, melting ice
sucks up about eighty calories OF heat per
gram.
THE ADVANTAGE OF ICE WHICH MELTS
RAPIDLY.
Natural ice on the other hand, begins to do its
work as soon as you slam the refrigerator door
upon it. 1t mets more rapidly and its cooling
effect is Just that much faster. Under the same
conditions of temperature and storage, however,
both kinds of ice give the same results. Ice Is
ice. whether made by man or nature.
The question of comparative purity opens
broader field of argument. In many households
food and drink carefully guarded from direct
contact with ice. Where there is reason to be-
lieve that the ice supply is impure this is wise,
in fact necessary precaution. But physicians
and chemists now agree that the danger OF con-
taminaton from this source has been greatly ex-
aggerated The Natural Ice Association of Amer
ica representing tonnage of nearly 100000 IN
TWENTY-FIVE states, has assembled authorities TO