The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-12
Home Nursing
Tracing Contagion To The Kitchen

Tracing Contagion To The Kitchen
1.-THE three White children have ty-
phoid fever" announced Mary Ann Reid
coming in from school and tossing her
books on the table.
"Gracious! At this time of year,
too. l always thought typhoid fever
was a hot weather disease and here it
isn't the middle Of April. hope there
isn't going to be an epidemic" Mrs.
Reid raised an anxious face from her
sewing. ~
Its a wonder the Whites ever have
anything else but fever" said Aunt
Reid, a trifle acidly. She had felt
rather keenly on the subject of the
Whites housekeeping ever since she
had gone to their aid during the influ-
enza seige and found decaying vege.
tables in their cellar, widowed bread
in the bread box and evidences of care
lessness wherever she turned. Aunt
Hanna Reid was one of the best house
keepers in the country so she had little
patience with women who were not at
least fairly good housekeepers.
There probably is no corner of a
home that requires such constant in
spection and care as the kitchen.
Often the source of disease may be
traced directly to food that is not
fresh, and an investigation of ice box
and cupboard has been known to reveal
shocking conditions-llnsan condi-
tons. that are directly responsible for
the illness.
There lie as rule plenty of moisture
and warmth in any kitchen, These are
what bacteria thrive on. Milk will
sour if left in a warm kitchen instead
of in the ice box. Unless the ice box
is scrupulously clean, food has been
known to spoil in it. Clogged drains
are q menace to health and if the
drain of your ice box is stopped you
are counting disaster.
An ice box should be washed out
every day and its contents inspected
carefully, and once week at least ev-
erything should be taken out of it,
the inside scrubbed with hot soda water
and soap suds. the drain flushed with
hot soda water and then with clear
boiling water, and if possible, the ice
box should be placed in the air and
sunlight for time. Ice should always
be well washed before it is placed in
the ice chamber. Unclean ice clogs
the drain pipe and contaminates food.
Milk, being an ideal medium for the
development of bacteria, should be kept
in a clean wide-mouthed vessel and COW
cred, even though it is in the ice box.
An inverted tumbler over a clean bot
tie Is a good way to cover milk. AL
ways keep milk cool and be sure that
you give fresh milk to your family. 1t
Is poor economy to. save milk tickets
and reap the harvest in doctors bills.
There should be no dark corners in
a kitchen. Weld the paint brush and
the white paint with heavy hand, if
you are less fortunate than the woman
who has ivory enamelled walls in her
kitchen. Keep the kitchen clean, never
put vegetables or fruit away after it
comes from the market Cor the garden)
without washing it carefully. and you
will do much toward maintaining
health in the home. One never knows
who handled food before it reached
your kitchen. People with skin di-
sease, perhaps-or worse. Don't let
your children eat fruit until you have
washed it yourself.
Don't allow garbage to accumulate
In the kitchen. Wrap it in paper and
dispose Of it quickly. Nothing attracts
flies and reaches like garbage.
Have screens on your kitchen win
dowS and doors and wage war on the
house-dy at all times. However re-
mote the kitchen may be from the sick
room, remember that it is your store
room for food. Don't be Inundated by
having eontagion traced to an untidy,
tnclAan kitchen.