456 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



[Food analysis and other pure food and drug topics], E. F. Ladd and Alma 

 K. Johnson (ISlorth Dakota Hta. Hpec. JiuL, 3 (i.9///), No. 12, pp. 201-21G).— 

 This discusses the sale of undrawn poultry, the use of bleached flour, and mi.s- 

 cellaneous food toi)ics. Directions are also given for the disinfection of rooms, 

 furniture, clothing, etc. Analyses are reported of a large number of foods and 

 beverages and some samples of spirits of camphor. 



[Food and sanitary inspection — food analysis and other pure food and 

 drug topics], E. F. Labd and Alma K. Johnson (North Dakota Sta. Spec. Bui., 

 3 (1914), No. 13, pp. 217-232). — The sanitary scores are reported of a number 

 of places where food is prepared, sold, or distributed. A list of foods and 

 beverages analyzed is appended, and information is given regarding the prohibi- 

 tion of the use of soap bark and sai)onin, and tlie use of saccharin. 



Food, water, and ice supplies in railway stations and railway trains, S. J. 

 Crumbine {Trans. 15. liitcrnat. Cong. llyg. (i>t<l Dcmoyr. Washington, 5 

 (1012), Sect. 7, pp. 220-232). — The author discusses the need for sanitary regu- 

 lations and points out conditions which should be remedied. 



The results of analyses by N. P. Sherwood of 78 samples of drinking water 

 taken from trains are given. Five of the samples showed at lea.st 10 colon 

 bacilli [an organism always present in human feces] in 10 cc. of water. One of 

 these samples also showed Bacillus pyocyancous, a green pus organism. 

 " Waters in this group are decidedly unfit for drinking purposes." This was 

 the worst condition noted. Eight samples showed from 6 to S colon bacilli in 

 10 cc. of water. " These waters are open to strong suspicion aud should not 

 be drunk." Fourteen samples showed from 1 to 4 B. coli in 10 cc. of water, 

 and, in addition, 2 of them showed Streptococcus pyogenes. In 49 samples 

 colon bacilli were not noted. 



It is pointed out that the pollution in the samples might be due to the original 

 water supply, to the water used in the ice, to dirt adhering to the ice, to the 

 hands which had handled the ice, to the buckets, wheelbarrows, or tongs used 

 in carrying or handling it, or to carelessness in washing the tanks either as to 

 thoroughness or as to the kind of water used for the purpose. 



Information was also gathered by the author regarding the source of the 

 water and ice furnished passenger trains in Kansas. "All the sources of the 

 water supplies investigated showed them to be good, potable water ; inspections 

 of the ice used in coolers quite often revealed the presence of dirt in artificial 

 as well as in natural ice. . . . 



" From these data, and after making a sanitary survey of conditions, it seems 

 that there is ho excuse for so many samples having a body temperature count of 

 over 350 [micro-organisms] per cubic centimeter, and the conclusions we believe 

 to be fairly drawn are that these high counts show carelessness both in cleaning 

 the coolers and in handling the ice. Evidently the abolishment of the common 

 drinking cup in railroad trains will not of itself insure a wholesome water 

 supply, but very definite regulations concerning the proper cleansing and steriza- 

 zation of all coolers and a sanitary method of handling the ice or, better still, 

 cooling the water through coils covered with ice. must be insisted upon before 

 the health of the traveling public is efficiently and uniformly safeguarded from 

 infectious water-borne diseases." 



In the discussion which follows the paper, A. J. McCannel states that he had 

 collected from several large railway systems information regarding the methods 

 of handling the drinking water supply on trains. He found that in a large 

 percentage of cases no bacterial or chemical examination of the water had 

 been made and in most cases no regular examination. While most of the water 

 presumably came from pure sources, in a few instances it was reported that it 

 came from wells deserving of suspicion. 



