598 EVERYDAY SCIENCE 



and impurities and deposits them on the ice, whence they are 

 carried out by the melting ice through the drain pipe. 



It follows, therefore, that delicacies, such as milk, cream, and 

 butter, should be put where the air fresh from the ice strikes them. 

 Meats and other such foods should come next. Vegetables, fruit, 

 cheese, fish, or any other foods that emit strong odors, should be 

 last in the circulatory system, so that the odors will be deposited on 

 the ice without tainting the more delicate foods. Even with this 

 arrangement, all highly odorous foods should be kept covered. Two 

 or three pieces of charcoal scattered through the refrigerator and 

 changed two or three times a month will help to absorb odors. 

 Large cafes have a separate refrigerator for each kind of food. 



Do not stuff any shelf so full of foods as to impair the circulation 

 of air. As soon as the circulation of cold air is cut off, the tem- 

 perature of the refrigerator rises and moisture collects two 

 conditions favorable for germ life. 



Do not put any kind of food on the ice. It may impair the 

 circulation of air; but more important than this, it will gather 

 the odors and impurities that should be deposited on the ice. 



Dryness. Keep a little salt in an open dish in your refrigerator. 

 If this becomes damp or sticky, examine your refrigerator, as has 

 been suggested in the case of too high temperature. High tem- 

 perature and dampness generally go along together in a refrigerator. 



Foods that you wish to keep moist or liquids that you wish to 

 keep from evaporating should be kept in tightly covered vessels. 



Cleanliness. Keep your refrigerator spotlessly clean. A porce- 

 lain enameled lining without joints or seams is most satisfactory 

 and safest. Don't allow a single drop of milk or speck of food to 

 remain on the shelves of your refrigerator, as breeding places for 

 germs. Keep the interior wiped out with water clean enough to 

 drink and a cloth or sponge clean enough to wash your face with. 

 Wipe all milk bottles, especially the caps and tops, with a clean 

 damp cloth before putting them into the refrigerator. 



Once a week wash the interior with soap and water, wipe it out 

 with clear water afterwards, and dry it with a dish towel. Cleanse 

 the ice compartment and flush the drain with a strong solution of 



