The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-06-22
GUARDING THE MEAT
IN HOT WEATHER

Washington, d. c., June ia few I
simple precautions will aid the house
wife in keeping meat untainted in hot
weather. 1t is, of course, common
knowledge that the higher the temper.
ature, the quicker meat will spoil, but
the family's supplies are not absolute.
ly at the mercy of the thermometer.
Ice and cleanliness are two great wea-
pons of defense.
For many families a refrigerator is |
absolutely out of the question, but it |
is perhaps better to have no refriger- |
ator at all than a neglected one. Mere |
ly to wash it out occasionally does lit
tie good; 1t should be thoroughly !
scalded at frequent intervals, in par !
ticular the drain. This, If overlooked,
is apt to harbor fungous growths,
which may spread to the food. On one
occasion man applied to the Depart
ment of Agriculture because he had
found that joint of beef placed in his
refrigerator had turned peculiar
ascertained that the meat was covered
with a peculiar fungus growth due
entirely to the condition Of the refrig-
orator. Growth of this kind do not al
ways advertise themselves so promi.
nently and there may be much evil
in an ice box that the eye can not de-
tect
If the refrigerator drain is not thor
oughly cleaned, moreover it is likely
to become choked, the water is not
carried off quickly enough and little
pools are left standing in the interior
Dampness is one of the conditions
most favorable to bacterial growth. An
ice box in this state will not protect
food long. 1t is, in fact, wise pre-
caution to wipe the interior of re-
frigerator every day with dry cloth.
The temperature of the average re-
frigerator is higher than most persons
suppose, and in those households
where regular supply of ice is not OBJ
tainable, cool cellar, spring house
or the depths of well may serve
somewhat the same purpose. On
farms where there is an ice house, the
meat may be placed in some form of
closed retainer and buried in the ice.
In any event, the meat must be care
fully screened from flies. The danger
from infection from these pests has
been pointed out many times, but fam
iliar-ity breeds contempt and they still
persist. The fly not only does the
meat itself no good but it may readily
deposit upon it some infection, which
is carried in turn by the meat into the
human system. Some flies will deposit
their eggs on the meat and these in
short time will become maggots and
the meat is "fy-blown."
Much sickness that is popularity as
cribed to ptomaine poisoning or to bad
food in general Is really caused in
some such way as this, the food, in it.
self perfectly wholesome, acting mere
ly as a mechanical carrier for the
germs which cause the trouble.
!, Some of these sorts come from the hui
, man intestine and their presence is a
sure indication that fifth is present, ev-
} EN- If the amount is too small to be
seen. Filth of this kind may be car
ried by dust, but it more often comes
from soiled hands. One might wish
that every kitchen could have the sign
, found in some well-managed food fac
| tories-"When you leave the room for
, any purpose, wash your hands before
. you return to work"
: Germs" which grow in foods and
= cause illness grow very rapidly, par
!, ticularly If the food is little warm
a and are not destroyed unless the food
o is well cooked before serving. Simply
warming up" is not enough, as was
a found in a case of illness recently re-
. ported after eating some warmed up
, creamed vegetable Certain kinds OF
o food dreamed chicken, or custard
or warm vegetables, for example-are
excellent culture mediums for bacteria
:. which may have been introduced into
: them by accident. For this reason ii
G is a safe rule TO have as short time
4 as possible intervene between the pre-
4 paration of food and its consumption
h Broth is another excellent medium and
in consequence should be drained of
il it Is intended to keep the meat fol
any length of time before serving. If
the broth is used also. it should be
boiled thoroughly first. All food, cook
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