The Washington times., 1919-03-02
SIMPLE, inexpensive and effective


n method Of killing the deadly germs
4 in foodstuffs, the microbes Of dis
ease and fermentation that wreck our
health and waste our food, would be one
ot the greatest blessings at the present
noment that could happen to the ordinary
American family.
E Such a method must leave the food un'
s injured IN taste, appearance and digestible
Nqualities.
Professor B. H. Hite, OF the department
of chemistry, University Of West Virginia,
appears 10 have gone long way toward
solving this great problem.
He has found that enormous pressure
has the effect Of killing OF the germs and
bacteria in food without iniuring its diges-
tive qualities It is notoriously hard to
kin microbe, but the high pressure seems
to follow him to his innermost lair and
squeeze the life out of his miserable, mic
roscopic, gelatinous carcass, leaving him
a harmless, Iifeless speck of protoplasm.
What a boon it would be to the house
s-Rife if she could have her fruits and vege-
tables preserved without the use of sugar
and other expensive preservatiyes that
make trouble, often spoil the favor and
are otherwise harmful
And what a still greater boon it would
!, be If she could be sure Of having pure milk
for her children free from disease germs
anand the danger of souring!
81 Upon the sterilization Of our milk supply
the lives of our babies depend to great
.yextent. II is no exaggeration to say that
the problem of supplying pure, safe, rea-
? sonably germfree milk to ordinary families
IN our great cities has not been finally
ssolved.
The Pasteurization process, which has
doubtless been Of great value in destroy
Ting germs and preventing souring, is said
Ito change the character of the milk, and,
-vfherefore, leaves something to be de-
sired. On the other hand, to use germi-
eides in milk intended for babies is out
Of the question. Pasteurization is the ex-
: posure of the milk to a temperature OF
z from 145 to $50 degrees Fahrenheit for
2. from twenty minutes to half an hour,
3 The destruction of infant life due to i'm
.z'Bure milk Is stin appalling, in spite Of the
: work Of all kinds Of pUblicspirited socie-
ties and agencies. In New York alone last
, year the total number of infant deaths
=-under five years was 1926. OF these
-f12,5s5 were under one year old. It is be-
--iieved that impure milk was the largest
S-single cause Of death contributing to this
- terrible total Il is the carrier Of the
: deadly disease generally known as Sum
mer colic," which attacks young babies in
z the first and second years Of life.
. II the infant mortality for New York
= we're at the same rate for the whole United
States there would be an annual loss Of
a.. about 5O,OO0 babies. There are no reliable
statistics for the entire country, but it is
. known that the large cities taken alto
-gether have a higher average rate than
i New York. For instance, Philadelphia has
< an infant mortality rate of no against
z New York's SS
II will therefore be- understood why
q many of the best chemists and food ex-
. pefts Of America have been seeking earn
estIy for years to find q satisfactory way
Of sterilizing milk.
an Pasteurizing milk" said Professor
IHe in a statement, "the fluid Is held TO-
some time at a prescribed high tempera'
ture, and IN the finished product the taste
bears witness TO the changes made IN the
8. Auid In the pressure process the delicate
ierments or engines in milk are not de-
stroyod by the pressure which kills the
bacteria. a. the pressure Is done 81 loV
iempeFsturos."
Professor Hito uses q steel cylinder and
i hydraulic pump, BY means OF which q pres.
sura Of over 100000 pounds 10 the square
inch is sppliea. Different kinds Of Eorma