Evening star., 1921-11-16
Is Raw Animal Food Hygienic?

Is nav animal fOOd dyg1enlcE
| The typhoid oyster has made In
dulgence in blue points on the half
shell a real adventure for the epicure
who has not been inmunized with the
medium Of conveyance for typhoid
bacilli much more frequently than
| oysters are, and few who purchase
to the possibility of contamination
by unclean handling at one point or
another from COW to table. or con-
slider that milk furnishes an ideal cul-
| ture medium for any disease germs
which careless or uncleanly handler
stroys any typhoid germs present. and
most other disease germs (Metchnikof
declared it did not destroy tubercle
bacillD, and pasteurization Is as ef-.
Experiments have clearly proved
that rabbits do not grow or thrive
as we'll on sterilized food as on raw
food, and similar observations have
been made in the nutrition of certain
other animals. There is great deal
children do not thrive and grow as
well on sterilized milk or on pasteur-
ized milk as they do on clean, pure
raw milk. The heating applied in
sterilization or in pasteurization
seems to destroy something indefinite
that is present in raw milk, and nova
days we call that indefinite something
a vitamin. whatever vftamin may
be. If the wholesomeness Of the milk
supply is not made sure by certffica-
tion, and boiling or pasteuriZation is
resorted to as compromise with un-
certainty about purity. then it is i'm
portant to see to 1t that the infant
or child depending largely upon milk
for nourishment shall receive each
juice. or any other fresh fruit juice,
to furnish the vitamin lacking In the
cooked milk.
The popular delusion that there is
some virtue In raw eggs not obtain
able in cooked eggs must be dismissed
Certain individuals cultivate or ac-
quire an appetite for certain raw or
very rare meats such as raw beef
in the "cannibal sandwich" or raw
ham in the Italian dish called pro-
uncooked or insutticiently cooked
sausage. Since the cow is the In
termediate host OF one species Of tape
worm and the pig is the intermediate
or insufficiently cooked flesh foods
may convey the larval forms Of tho
parasites to man. 1t is therefore wise
to have all such meat served well
done.
Another practice which is objec-
.Ionable is the purchase Of ground
meat in the raw state (such as Ham,
burg steak). 1t Is safer to have tho
meat ground while you wait. and i'm
mediately delivered. for when such
meat stands. for time in a snop
there Is always g. possible chance Of
contamination with the bacillus Of
botulism. which may produce serious
or fatal illness In one who eats Of
the meat, even though 1t has been
.ooked, for the toxin or poison Of the
bacillus botulinus is not destroyed by
boxing, though the germ itself may
Another delusion sometimes sup
ported by old-time nurses and dor
tors, is that raw beef juice has some
mysterious virtue not possessed by
rare or almost raw beef has nutri-
tive value not possessed by thor
oughly cooked beef. This Is wholly
imaginary, and mot without danger.
The cooking Of meat rather renders
the meat more digestible and more
nutritious.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
The Baby's Right.
My baby Is two months old. Is II
all right to feed him matted milk and
fresh milk at the same time, or should
give him only one kind at time?
Is matted milk as healthful for babies
as fresh milk? (Mrs. w. Al
Answer-If fresh milk Is within
your means, and some sacrifice should
be made II necessary for the baby's
sake, by all means give the baby