THE Waikato Independent. TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1908.

Waikato Independent, Volume VII, Issue 465, 28 January 1908, Page 4

THE Waikato Independent. TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1908.

[ At this season of the year when the deadly ptomaine lightly turns to thoughts of grub, and loves to lurk in various articles of human diet, any information on the mighty atom, should prove of interest to housewives. During the Christmas season in Wellington there was a considerable number of ptomaine cases, and the papers have contained a good deal of information on the subject of ptomaine poisoning. Most people fondly imagine that ptomaines are only found in tin goods, but this a popular delusion, as most cases of such poisoning have taken place from eating other foods. It is stated that ptomaine poisoning originates in the fermentation and decomposition of animal matter, and this state of affairs is rapidly brought about in the present warm weather in food stored in dark, dam]), airless larders or stores, and the general assembly in one small compartment of milk, butter, meat, and fish, each giving off its own gases to the other, and becoming { favorable centres for colonies of ptomainos. As many housewives probably know, an infallible sign of this form of bacteria, in tinned articles of diet, is what is expressively known as the ' bulging tin." So housewives are recommended, before buying any tinned food, to carefully examine the tin to see whether the bottom or top bulges. If it does in the very slight- | est degree, reject that one, for there are germs inside at work. This advice, if followed, appears to dispose of the danger of anyone being poisoned from eating tinned meats. Unfortunately, however, the insidious ptomaine prefers, as we have said, to mostly lurk in other articles of diet, and it is a less easy task to determine bis presence in butcher's meats, sausages, or fish, and it is from such sources that the wholesale ptomaine poisoning disasters arise. The only methods of avoiding risk, from this source of danger, appear to be scrupulous cleanliness, and abstention from eating any animal food that 'is not well cooked, untainted, and absolutely above suspicion. There are many other facts regarding the dangers of what is called ptomaine poisoning, for want of a better word, but these will suffice to point out the necessity of housewives being on their guard, especially during the hot weather, j against the incursions of the mighty atoms known as ptomaines.