To cake and sweet confection making there seems no end, and an endless procession to consume them. How dainty and delicious, how pleasing to the eye the unnum- bered sweets consumed by the human family, and yet could they see them as they are being manipulated by men dripping with perspiration, their hands half way to their elbows in cake batter, mixing and filling the tins by hand, a little reflection might convince them that even that process was not very desirable, and that there ought to be some method devised whereby cake as well as bread -could be better mixed than by hands. That women should have the superintendence of bakeries has scarcely dawned upon the mind of the public; yet health and economy demand it, and there is no more useful field for educated women, skillful in the art of cookery, than this. As bakeries now are, it would take a small army of men to thoroughly cleanse and put them in order, as they should be. Everyone in a basement or under ground should be closed, unless there are means for plenty of sunlight and ventilation. Even then, bake houses would be better in separate buildings, where fresh air and sun- light would have free access at all times. Women should be on the Board of Sanitary Inspectors -of Bakeries, and their thorough work in that office would convince men that they ought also to superintend the cooking and purchasing departments. An efficient woman is *' death on dirt," as she is publicly proving as superintendent of street cleaning departments and similar public offices. "Microbes," dust and filth would not stand a "ghost of a chance" for development BAKERIES. 213- wherever she held sway. She would have light and airy rooms and call to her aid healthy and tidy cooks, not satu- rated with tobacco, opium and liquor. With these progressive sanitary arrangements, and still- others that would naturally suggest themselves, and the entire exclusion of all animal fats and introduction of vegetable oils, it would be impossible to produce dough- nuts and pastries saturated with stale and mal-odorous grease. The conservation of health would begin, and the economy attending such changes would commend itself to- the proprietors of all bakeries. The purity and delicacy of food seasoned, shortened or cooked with vegetable oils^ is unsurpassed. (See chapter on Veg. Oils.) Pioneers in this change would reap a bountiful harvest and as educators in life preservation be entitled to "honorable mention" if not to "gold medals." If they would go a step farther and produce aerated bread without hands, and unleavened bread of all kinds- made of the entire flour of the grain, they would contribute more largely toward the better health of the people than it is possible for the great army of conservative doctors to- do under the present conventional restrictions. For the health of the race and the credit of inspectors, may the day speedily come when public bakeries shall he- as clean and well conducted as our own well regulated kitchens and the model kitchens and cook rooms in first- class public institutions. Then we may expect pure food made from sound, clean material. In every place of eight or ten thousand inhabitants should be a Hygienic Bakery, and in connection with it a well lighted and pleasant dining room, that would serve one substantial meal daily. This would soon become one 2 14 THE FAT OF THE LAND. of the best educators in the right direction and need not ^e expensive to the consumer. An inviting waiting room furnished with papers and books would be of great assist- ance to a class of people who have no abiding place but the street or the saloon at mid-day. In this connection it might be advisable to suggest that restaurants and eating rooms be not situated so far " inland " as to preclude the possibility of fresh air and sunlight that would dissipate the odors so disagreeably -apparent in such places.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

To cake and sweet confection making there seems no end, and an endless procession to consume them. How dainty and delicious, how pleasing to the eye the unnumbered sweets consumed by the human family, and yet could they see them as they are being manipulated by men dripping with perspiration, their hands half way to their elbows in cake batter, mixing and filling the tins by hand, a little reflection might convince them that even that process was not very desirable, and that there ought to be some method devised whereby cake as well as bread -could be better mixed than by hands. That women should have the superintendence of bakeries has scarcely dawned upon the mind of the public; yet health and economy demand it, and there is no more useful field for educated women, skillful in the art of cookery, than this. As bakeries now are, it would take a small army of men to thoroughly cleanse and put them in order, as they should be. Everyone in a basement or under ground should be closed, unless there are means for plenty of sunlight and ventilation. Even then, bake houses would be better in separate buildings, where fresh air and sunlight would have free access at all times. Women should be on the Board of Sanitary Inspectors -of Bakeries, and their thorough work in that office would convince men that they ought also to superintend the cooking and purchasing departments. An efficient woman is *' death on dirt," as she is publicly proving as superintendent of street cleaning departments and similar public offices. "Microbes," dust and filth would not stand a "ghost of a chance" for development wherever she held sway. She would have light and airy rooms and call to her aid healthy and tidy cooks, not saturated with tobacco, opium and liquor. With these progressive sanitary arrangements, and still others that would naturally suggest themselves, and the entire exclusion of all animal fats and introduction of vegetable oils, it would be impossible to produce doughnuts and pastries saturated with stale and mal-odorous grease. The conservation of health would begin, and the economy attending such changes would commend itself tothe proprietors of all bakeries. The purity and delicacy of food seasoned, shortened or cooked with vegetable oils. is unsurpassed. (See chapter on Veg. Oils.) Pioneers in this change would reap a bountiful harvest and as educators in life preservation be entitled to "honorable mention" if not to "gold medals." If they would go a step farther and produce aerated bread without hands, and unleavened bread of all kindsmade of the entire flour of the grain, they would contribute more largely toward the better health of the people than it is possible for the great army of conservative doctors todo under the present conventional restrictions. For the health of the race and the credit of inspectors, may the day speedily come when public bakeries shall heas clean and well conducted as our own well regulated kitchens and the model kitchens and cook rooms in firstclass public institutions. Then we may expect pure food made from sound, clean material. In every place of eight or ten thousand inhabitants should be a Hygienic Bakery, and in connection with it a well lighted and pleasant dining room, that would serve one substantial meal daily. This would soon become one of the best educators in the right direction and need not be expensive to the consumer. An inviting waiting room furnished with papers and books would be of great assistance to a class of people who have no abiding place but the street or the saloon at mid-day. In this connection it might be advisable to suggest that restaurants and eating rooms be not situated so far " inland " as to preclude the possibility of fresh air and sunlight that would dissipate the odors so disagreeably -apparent in such places.

A practical cook and text book for general use