A trap is a contrivance with a sort of bend in the pipe, which enables a small
amount of water to be placed between the sewer and the dwelling ; this preventing
the entrance of sewer gases. There are different kinds of traps and the ones used
on almost every sink in the city of New York are the CO or half CO traps (PI. XII,
fig. 1A).
There are many other kinds of traps among the most important are the " O," (PI.
XII, fig.^) " Bottle/' "Round," and "Bag" traps.
Germs carried by sewer gas may cause most serious diseases, so upon the care of
these traps largely depends the health of families. Unless the trap holds a certain
amount of water, sufficient to form a seal to prevent gas from entering kitchens, it
is of no value. Kitchen traps are difficult to keep clean and in good condition, as
much grease is carried oft' by the dish water. When it enters the trap and waste
pipe, it cools and clings to the sides. If a solution of washing soda and hot water
is poured down the sink frequently, this can be prevented. Soda has the power of
breaking the particles of fatty matter into very small parts, and then the hot water
washes the matter away. A strainer should always be placed at the outlet and should
be kept perfectly clean. I have seen careless servants scrape the leavings from plates
into the sink, and try to wash little pieces of bones and sorts of food down the out-
let. Perhaps illness has been caused by this uncleanliness. To be sure that this
shall not happen, we must keep not only the trap of the kitchen sink clean and pure
but all other traps as well.
K. T.
NOTES FROM THE CHILDREN'S EXERCISE BOOKS.
In looking over the notebooks of the children, also placed at the disposal of the
author, it was found that the following facts were noted, which show clearly the
basic principles of the instruction given :
C. S. says : " Starch is a heat-giving compound ; * * * it is a fine white powder
composed of little granules. * * * Cold water has no effect upon starch granules,
but boiling water bursts them. * * * When baking powder is put in flour,
mixed, and moistened, the gas formed fills the flour with little bubbles, which form
holes in the dough ; when the mixture is put in the oven it hardens the dough about
the little holes formed by the bubbles of gas, and the mixture is light and porous.
* * * Yeast is the sinrplest form of plant life and consists of little cells which
expand and grow very rapidly. * *" * Like all plants, it requires heat and
moisture; * * * it is called a ferment because it causes fermentation in dough."
J. G. says, in a lesson on the chemistry of food: "Food repairs the body by mak-
ing flesh or muscle and by giving heat. * * * The heat or temperature of the
body is about 98 degrees. * * * This heat is produced by combustion. One ele-
ment alone will not nourish the body. * * * All food compounds are necessary.
70
* * * They are water, salt, mineral, fat, starch, sugar, and nitrogenous mat-
ter. * * * Albumen is a flesh-forming compound and is easily digested: it
thickens by heat, fibrin by exposure to the air, casein by an acid."
Page 53
Presented as published in 1899. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A modernized reading is not available for this page yet. You are seeing the original text.
A trap is a contrivance with a sort of bend in the pipe, which enables a small
amount of water to be placed between the sewer and the dwelling ; this preventing
the entrance of sewer gases. There are different kinds of traps and the ones used
on almost every sink in the city of New York are the CO or half CO traps (PI. XII,
fig. 1A).
There are many other kinds of traps among the most important are the " O," (PI.
XII, fig.^) " Bottle/' "Round," and "Bag" traps.
Germs carried by sewer gas may cause most serious diseases, so upon the care of
these traps largely depends the health of families. Unless the trap holds a certain
amount of water, sufficient to form a seal to prevent gas from entering kitchens, it
is of no value. Kitchen traps are difficult to keep clean and in good condition, as
much grease is carried oft' by the dish water. When it enters the trap and waste
pipe, it cools and clings to the sides. If a solution of washing soda and hot water
is poured down the sink frequently, this can be prevented. Soda has the power of
breaking the particles of fatty matter into very small parts, and then the hot water
washes the matter away. A strainer should always be placed at the outlet and should
be kept perfectly clean. I have seen careless servants scrape the leavings from plates
into the sink, and try to wash little pieces of bones and sorts of food down the out-
let. Perhaps illness has been caused by this uncleanliness. To be sure that this
shall not happen, we must keep not only the trap of the kitchen sink clean and pure
but all other traps as well.
K. T.
NOTES FROM THE CHILDREN'S EXERCISE BOOKS.
In looking over the notebooks of the children, also placed at the disposal of the
author, it was found that the following facts were noted, which show clearly the
basic principles of the instruction given :
C. S. says : " Starch is a heat-giving compound ; * * * it is a fine white powder
composed of little granules. * * * Cold water has no effect upon starch granules,
but boiling water bursts them. * * * When baking powder is put in flour,
mixed, and moistened, the gas formed fills the flour with little bubbles, which form
holes in the dough ; when the mixture is put in the oven it hardens the dough about
the little holes formed by the bubbles of gas, and the mixture is light and porous.
* * * Yeast is the sinrplest form of plant life and consists of little cells which
expand and grow very rapidly. * *" * Like all plants, it requires heat and
moisture; * * * it is called a ferment because it causes fermentation in dough."
J. G. says, in a lesson on the chemistry of food: "Food repairs the body by mak-
ing flesh or muscle and by giving heat. * * * The heat or temperature of the
body is about 98 degrees. * * * This heat is produced by combustion. One ele-
ment alone will not nourish the body. * * * All food compounds are necessary.
70
* * * They are water, salt, mineral, fat, starch, sugar, and nitrogenous mat-
ter. * * * Albumen is a flesh-forming compound and is easily digested: it
thickens by heat, fibrin by exposure to the air, casein by an acid."