4»5 
two cases during the past three years in hotels, and in both these 
there was very good evidence that the infection had occurred outside 
the hotels in which the men were staying. 
These facts suggested the advisability of a comparison between 
the sources of food supply, and the methods of keeping and cooking 
the food in hotels with those in private houses. 
The meat for hotels, in some cases at any rate, is frequently frozen 
meat brought to the islands by ship. It often happens that this meat 
is more or less exposed on the quay for several hours— sometimes tor 
more than twelve when a steamer arrives early in the night. 
The larders in many hotels are not fly proof, and the food-stuff is 
not adequately protected from flies before and after cooking. In some 
cases it is not protected at all. . . 
Soup in the hotels is frequently made in a stock-pot which is on y 
emptied once or twice during the week. 
In private houses the meat supply is generally fiom amnia s 
in the islands. Considerable precautions are usually taken to pro e ^ 
all food from flies. This precaution extends not only to keeping 
meat, fish, &c., in fly proof safes, but even dishes of fruit are often 
covered with muslin while on the table. Soups are made les i ever) 
day, and a stock-pot is not used. 
In some of the butchers’ shops (in Las Palmas, for instance 
frequently sees meat exposed for sale which is not protecte 
flies. I have been unable to trace the destiny of this meat, 
case of the private houses where I was able to trace the source ot tne 
meat supply, I found that a servant was sent early in the morning 
the market. This meat is stated to be freshly killed. It must a *° 
be observed that the evidence with regard to the occuirence 
disease which is here given applies only to the belter c ass o na n 
nd not to the lower classes. . . f .1 
Flies are extremely numerous, particularly during t e in 
ear when most visitors are staying in the hotels. They a ways ^ 
0 an extent which can but rarely happen, even in iso a e 
nore temperate climates. Again, the habits of the owei c ass ‘ 
he natives are such as give perhaps the greatest possible number 
hances of infection of the food with various nucro-c*ga man* 
neans of the flies. For instance, the inhabitants usually defaecaU 
n any spot that suits their personal convenience, 
