190 BULLETIN 414, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
and a burlap curtain was suspended over the one open side. An 
old dish pan, in the bottom of which a few small holes had been 
punched, was placed on top of the box and in this way the burlap 
on the top and side was supplied with just enough water to keep it 
saturated. Food was kept in this box at a temperature considerably- 
lower than that of the outside air. 
FOOD POISONING. 
Food poisoning may be caused by foods which have been kept too 
long before being eaten, or which have not been properly cooled and 
stored. The poison results from certain bacteria of one or more 
kinds accidentally present in the food, which are not killed by the 
heat of cooking or which are conveyed to the food (by dirty hands, 
for instance) after it is cooked. The contamination usually is such 
that it can not be detected by the sense of taste. While food poison- 
ing has been known to occur in many different kinds of food, those 
most commonly mentioned are soft cooked vegetables — especially if 
put away warm — soups, meat pies and similar dishes, milk, fish, meat, 
baked beans and ice cream. 
