BACTERIA IN EGGS. 249 



bacteriological study of eggs has shown quite a number of different 

 bacteria in perfectly whole eggs, freshly laid, and there seems 

 to be no possible means of avoiding them completely. Even 

 after the shell is deposited and the egg laid, bacteria are capable 

 of entering it. The shell is somewhat porous and it has been 

 proved by experiment that bacteria can pass through the pores. 

 In short, the egg must be looked upon as a highly nutritious food 

 product, in most cases already inoculated with bacteria, and a 

 body which is practically sure to undergo decay in the course of 

 time. There are fewer bacteria in winter eggs than in those laid in 

 summer, and the cleaner the nest the less the bacterial contam- 

 ination. 



It is, however, possible, by certain devices, to delay or prevent the 

 growth of bacteria in the egg. The bacteria found in eggs do not de- 

 velop at low temperatures and the eggs may be kept almost indefi- 

 nitely at a temperature of 34. But since cold storage is not always 

 available, other methods must usually be adopted. One of the 

 simplest and best is by the use of water glass, a material made of 

 sodium and potassium silicate. This may be purchased cheaply 

 in the form of a thick syrup. It is then mixed with nine parts 

 of water and placed in clean stone jars. The eggs are placed in 

 the mixture and the whole set aside in a cool place. If the tem- 

 perature is not allowed to rise above 60 the eggs may be kept from 

 decay for a long time by this method, many weeks and even months 

 elapsing before they will decay. In preserving eggs in this way it is 

 important to know that April eggs will keep better than May eggs 

 and these better than June eggs, while eggs laid in the hot months 

 of the summer are less easily preserved, a fact probably due to a 

 greater bacterial contamination during the warmer months. From 

 this it will follow that the June storage eggs should be used first 

 and the April preserved eggs last. 



Eggs thus preserved will keep from decay, but they will lose their 

 fresh taste. Indeed, this fresh flavor disappears in a very few days 

 and there is no way known by which it can be retained for very long. 

 But after the fresh taste is gone the eggs will remain without further 

 change for a long time and be usable. 



