1920] FOODS — HUMAN NUTRITION. ^6l 



velopiiu'iit. The industries treated are bread, sugar, oils and fats, beverages, 

 alcohol, and canned foods. 



The J. (i. Forkiier lijj gardens recipes, J. G. Forknkk {Frcuno, Cal.: 

 Author, li)li). [Wi+78, fiijis. 2).— A collection of recipes for tlie use of fresh and 

 dried figs. 



The bacteriology of ropy bread, E. Skligmann {Centhl. BaJct. [etc.], 1. 

 Alt., Orig., S3 (1919), No. 1, pp. 39-50, pi. 1).—A bacteriological investigation of 

 ropy bread is reported which indicated that the organisms responsible for the 

 deterioration were chiefly varieties of Bacillus mcscntcuivus and li. viscosus. 

 The fact that ropiness appeared to be confined to wheat bread is attributed 

 chiefly to the favorable conditions for growth of the organisms in such bread 

 as compiired with the common sour bread, the acidity of which exerts a 

 harmful action on the organisms. The use of lactic acid in ordinary bread 

 making is reconunended as a means of preventing ropiness. 



Dietotlierapy, W. E. Fitch (New York and London: D, Appleton d Co., 1918, 

 vols. 1, pp. XXIV+SIG, figs. 49; 2, pp. X///+79S, figs. 13; 3, pp. XV 1 1 +929, figs. 

 8). — This extensive reference woi'k on human nutrition is designed particularly 

 for medical practitioners, hospital internes, medical students, and students in 

 domestic science and nurses' training schools. It consists of three volumes, 

 volume 1 dealing with the chemistry and physiology of digestion and the classi- 

 tication and analysis of foods, volume 2 with nutrition and diet iu health, and 

 volume 3 with nutrition and diet in disease. In addition to the chapters 

 written by the author, many of the sections in each volume have been con- 

 tributed by well-known specialists in various phases of the science of nutrition. 



Food poisoning and food infections, W. G. Savage {Cambridge: Univ. 

 Press, 1920, pp. VIII+2.'f7, figs. 3). — This volume embodies the material dealt 

 with by the author in a special report to the Local Government Board (England) 

 in 1913 (E. S. R., 30, p. 167), together with particulars of a number of cases of 

 food poisoning reported subsequent to 1912, and a discussion of the causes, 

 methods of investigation, and lines of prevention of such outbreaks. Extensive 

 references to the literature are given at the end of each chapter. 



[Food custom and disease]. — Influenza-pneumonia as influenced by 

 dish washing in 3 70 public institutions, J. G. Gumming (Ainer. Jour. Pub. 

 Health, 9 (1919), No. 11, pp. 849-853, fig. 2).— From a study of the incidence of 

 influenza-pneumonia in public institutions with a total population of 84,748, in 

 which machine-washed eating utensils were used, as compared with institutions 

 of the same type with a population of 107,438, in which hand-washed eating 

 utensils were used, the author concludes that washing which sterilizes table 

 utensils is of the greatest importance. 



"Transmission of the potentially dangerous group of pneumonia-producing 

 organisms, incident to promiscuous messing in the Army, in public institutions, 

 in public eating places, and in the home, can be hirgely prevented by the 

 disinfection of eating utensils with scalding water. The universal application 

 of the principle of proper eating utensils disinfection will reduce enormously 

 the prevalence of all sputum-borne infections. As is shown in the institutional 

 population, the influenza case rate was reduced by 66 per cent and the mortality 

 by 55 per cent through the use of machine-washed dishes. It is believed that 

 a further reduction in these rates would have occurred had the full efficiency 

 of all mechanical dishwashers been utilized by the use of boiling water. This 

 principle applies to public eating places as well as to public institutions, and 

 with equal force to the scalding of eating utensils in the private family. . . . 



" The sputum-borne infections can be effectively controlled by blocking the 

 major avenue of transmission [table utensils which are not sterilized]. The 

 majority of influenza cases have arisen from the interchange of sputum 



