OFI^ICIAL INSPECTIONS 56. 5 



the facts obtained by the inspectors. Very likely some bottles 

 would be broken by severe treatment, but the health of the pub- 

 lic would seem to demand that bottles be thoroughly sterilized. 

 When it is remembered that bacteria cling for a long time to 

 the surfaces of glass and that in many instances the neck of 

 the bottle is put into the mouth and the contents drank directly 

 that way, it is readily apparent that there is large danger of 

 disease producing organisms remaining upon the soda water 

 bottles that go back to the factory for refilling. 



The condition of the premises, which is given in the next 

 column, was for the most part found to be very good. In tw^o 

 or three instances the first of the season the conditions in 

 regard to sanitation were very bad indeed, but the worst cases 

 were much improved during the summer, and in general the 

 conditio-ns of bottling establishments, along with other food 

 establishments, were markedly improved throughout the season. 



Of the other points collected by the inspectors, the only one 

 that seemed w^orth while to produce in the report is as to 

 whether foam producers are or are not used. Foam producer 

 is an extract of soap bark. This is poisonous if used in suffi- 

 cient quantity. The question of soap bark is probably more or 

 less analygous to the question of the disputed preservatives as 

 to whether it is or is not harmful in the small amounts in 

 which it is used in these beverages. It will be noted that 

 quite a large percentage of the bottlers in Maine do not use 

 foam producers. 



On the whole the conditions of the bottling establishments 

 and the way in which bottled sodas are produced, while not 

 perfectly satisfactory, are as cleanly and the goods are handled 

 as sanitarily as other food products put up within the State. 

 The conditions certainly average better than the places where 

 the bottled soda is dispensed and the manner in which it 

 is sold and the glasses are rinsed. The whole question of the 

 bottled and unbottled carbonated beverages is a difficult one 

 from the sanitary standpoint. They have the country over 

 been stamping out the common drinking cup, but we are using at 

 public places, the same soda w^ater and other glasses over and 

 over with, in many instances, very little attempt at sanitation. 

 Even under the best conditions there is apparentl}^ more or less 

 danger luiking in or rather upon the soda water glass. 



