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Show DANGERS OF UNWA8HED FRUIT Millions of Disease Germs Cluster on Small Bunches. On that bunch of cherries you" buy from tho Italian on tho stieet corner and cat with so much relish nro clustered clus-tered four or flvo millions of dangerous danger-ous dlscaso germs. Exceedingly nilnuto they are, and tho flavor of tho fruit Is In no wise Impaired by their presence, but thero thoy oro Just tho same micrococci, bacilli, spirilla wholo families of them. When wo eat an unwashed pear about 200,000 bacteria aro carried Into tho system, twlco that number on n handful of garden strawberries, and still larger numbers on raspberries, raspber-ries, grapes and currants. Tho most Infested fruits aro cherries, with 12,000,000 bacteria to tho half pound; currants with 11,000,000 and grapes with 8,000,000. A man will readily consumo n half pound ot grapes at a sitting, and If the state of his health leaves him open to tho attacks of disease, It can bo appreciated what a tremendous risk ho runs of poisonous Infection by tho germs. Not many weeks ago Inquiry was mado Into tho stato of tho surfaco air in this city. Tho air for several feet above tho ground was found to bo literally lit-erally swarming with bacteria. Now It Is a matter of everyday observation observa-tion that tho fruits exposed for salo on tho sidewalks and curbs of Now York nro placed at no great dlstanco from tho pavement. In many instances in-stances they are so near tho ground as to be In the very center of tho germ-bearing strata of air. Tho Inference In-ference Is obvious. Yet In splto of these factB, not ono In a hundred who hastily buys an applo or a banana on tho corner gives tho matter of bacteria bac-teria tho slightest thought, and not ono in a thousand goes tho length of taking tho sanitary precaution of washing tho fruit. New York Press. |
