View report page

greengrocery, sweets and other unwrapped foods, not only
in the retail stores, but in the places of manufacture or
production by persons who may have been suffering from
a mild attack of diarrhoea, this supposition receives support.
The facilities for washing of hands are not universal
in these places, nor are they always used where
provided.
One factor to be borne in mind is that the germ
causing this disease is always with us, and many casas
of diarrhoea are due to this organism, and so given a
set of circumstances of temperature, climate, susceptibility
of the population, etc., an epidemic of this disease
will occur.
In the prevention of further attacks one makes a plea
for greater cleanliness in the handling of food both before
it reaches the home and afterwards.
1. Food should be handled as little as possible.
2. Food should be protected from flies.
3. The hands should be washed, always, immediately
after using the lavatory. (Germs live in
excreta.)
4. The hands should always be washed and scrubbed
before handling food, whether for oneself or for
others. (During an epidemic a certain number
of persons may become infected without
suffering.)
5. All unpasteurised milk and water from doubtful
sources should be boiled.
6. Bread and bought cakes, if not wrapped, should be
baked again lightly or toasted, especially in
epidemic times.
7. Butter, margarine, and cheese should be purchased
only in packets.
8. Bought salads should be washed thoroughly, soaked
in weak chlorinated water (Milton may be used)
for an hour, and washed thoroughly again in
boiled water.
9. No food should be eaten out of the house unless it
is known that all these precautions are being
taken conscientiously.
64