The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-06-13

This Is the season for pt0maine
poisoning. and people canEot b. too
careful ia the avoidance Of thls SUM
mer trouble. for Il rs strictly q dan
ger encountered more commonly ~
summer time. Or Is hot weather,
than in any other season Of the year
ptomaines. What are they, @ you
ask7 "A writer on health topics re-
Gently gave this oetinitioh.
ptomaines are the product % decay
animal tissue, and since oecomposi-
ton s FASTENED bY the heat, Z Iol--
lows shat nose cases Of This KIND
are - be found n the summer time.
Because ptomaine poison comes
from bacterial decomposition % ami
nal fesh." the same writer asserts,
CSC follows that fish, game poultry
meats and milk products are q posi-
BE source 81 trouble. There are a
few vegetables which can produce the
psomaines. notably those high in nj
troren Peas and beans are IN this
class
A great deal ~ what 81 called
ptumaine poisoning is really and
more correctly metal poisoning since
otherwise excellent food products may
be made dangerous by improper pack
inc and handling. IL e claimed there
Is no danger whatever from properly
packed meats Il these are reasonably
fresh. but the assertion is made ~
vegetables that If they have been u
tins for some years. they are liable e
absorb some metallic salts IN their
varying stages, and 81 course are IN
fit Tor consumption. Canned goods
are sometimes eaten four % five years
after packing. 4 q claimed, but Of q
truth. this Is not the general rule.
n ire use Of canned goods. Il 1.
claimed. the greatest danger BE- wher
careless honsekeepers Of servants
open q can 81 meats, fish or vege
tables, use q portion of the contents
and allow the remainder 81 unused
portion a. remain IN the cans thui
broken open Anyone with half q
conscience and imperfect understand
ing can readily see that this Is I
dangerous proceeding, and tha
pt0maine may quickly develop, and q
the same time a metallic poisoning i
not unusual This would give
double dose 81 possibly fatal troubli
in q family. II fequently occurs tha
when ptomaine poisoning Is suffered
Re sCizes or affects one 81 more, @
All Of the family ID which it appears
and one advice a. an offset @ fatal
itirs until the doctor arrives, rs q
encourage vomiting as quickly a
possible and with as much volum
possible. By the use 81 warm sal
water. which should be swallows
until tho patient vomits freely. Blu
10 not forget Ia the administration Q
this horne treatment, % have the doc
tor come as quick as be can.
Prevention. however. Is far bette
fhan cure. and the best way 20 dodg
fhis common ailment j. 70 avoid bus
ing tainted foods. or allowing eve
cooked foods 60 become tainted.
No food is more generally whole
SOME than fish. and at the same timN
nothing is an agent q more ahsolut
danger than when stale. Fish an
crabs both are frequently sources q
ptomaine poisoning One Of the be-
WAYS 20 guard against ptomaine trou
be Is e first Of SIT pick cut q rel
able dealer. and one who sees 20
that bis fish Is kept well-iced and VIII
fain would sell. knowingly. a stal
product An icebox should be use
for fish alone, II possible The fles
If fish should b firm, the scale
should adhere firmly. eyes and pill
should BE- bright. and there shoul
be ne od0r. Some persons are adj
q ten 4 stale fish without eithe
smelling or touching rs After fis
Is bought. have Il cleaned. the er
trails and head removed. and, II f.
hroilinE Or frying, the backbon