64 PHARMACEUTICAL BACTERIOLOGY. 



no spores, is gas- (dextrose broth cultures in fermentation tube) and indol- 

 forming, reduces nitrates to nitrites, does not liquefy gelatin and is not 

 stained by Gram's method. 



1. Syrups of all kinds, unless very carefully prepared and carefully kept 

 to prevent fermentation, are apt to show numerous bacteria, yeasts and 

 moulds. Any syrup showing signs of yeast fermentation (gas bubbles, 

 vinous odor) or mouldiness, is not fit for use and should be rejected. The 

 attempt to render it usable by boiling is unsatisfactory, furthermore the 

 changes produced by the organisms are always objectionable and cannot be 

 rectified by heating or by other methods of sterilization. 



m. Recent investigations have shown that many of the marketed (bottled) 

 mineral waters contain numerous bacteria, from 10,000 to 300,000,000 and 

 more per c.c. In some cases colon bacilli have been found. These find- 

 ings prove that in many instances the methods of bottling must be careless 

 or otherwise unsatisfactory since sewage contamination is not reasonably 

 possible under proper sanitary conditions. Undoubtedly the contamination 

 is in some instances due to reused and inadequately cleaned and sterilized 

 containers and in other instances to impure and inadequately sterilized 

 mineral water. A popular opinion prevails that the chemicals in the min- 

 eral waters are sufficiently germicidal to destroy bacteria but this is not the 

 case. Bacteria may develop actively in a great variety of solutions of high 

 concentration provided such solutions are chemically balanced. Loeb, 

 Osterhaut and others have shown, for example, that ocean water is chemically 

 balanced, thus being suitable to maintain life in a great variety of organisms. 



G. Bacteria in Canned Fruits. The work recently demanded by the pure 

 food laws (federal and state) has shown that such food substances as canned 

 fruits of all kinds, including jams, jellies, preserves, catsups, tomato pastes, 

 etc., are frequently highly contaminated with yeast cells, moulds and their 

 spores, and other higher fungi, and bacteria. It is, however, evident that 

 the food products named may be quite free from such contamination as 

 may be seen from the examination of canned food products prepared by 

 the careful housewife. That manufacturers may approximate the home 

 condition is demonstrated by the fact that factory products are found 

 on the market, which are quite free from contamination. 



Since wholesome ripe fruit contains yeast cells, bacteria and mould in 

 very small numbers only, and since most of these organisms are removed in 

 the various steps of the processing, as washing, peeling, steaming, etc., it is 

 evident that the finished factory product should, like the home-made 

 product, contain these organisms in negligibly small numbers only, provided, 

 of course, that wholesome fruit is used. However, most of the factory samples 

 thus far examined have shown numerous dead yeast cells, mould spores, 

 mould hyphae, and bacteria, indicating the use of fruit, fruit pulp, fruit 



