g the months of
May, June, July, and August; these are their breeding months and they
are unwholesome during that period. That oysters sometimes contain the
germs of typhoid fever is an assured fact; these germs are acquired
not from the natural habitat of the oyster in salt water but from the
fresh-water, so-called "fattening beds," where the oysters are placed
for a season to remove the brackish and salty taste of the sea and to
render them more plump. These beds are frequently subject to
pollution, and the housekeeper should only purchase oysters from
reliable dealers where the purity of the source of the supply is
unquestioned.

Clams are in season and may be eaten throughout the year.

All shellfish when fresh have an agreeable fresh odor. The shells
should be firmly closed or should close when immersed in water and
touched with the finger. If they have been removed from their shells
when purchased, the flesh of the fish itself should be firm, clean in
appearance and not covered with slime or scum; the odor should be
fresh. The odor of dead or decomposed oysters and clams is pungent and
disagreeable.

=MEAT PRODUCTS--Canned or Potted Meats.=--The label on cans containing
meat products should state clearly the exact nature of the contents.
Deception as to the character of the meat is easy to practice and
difficult to detect by any but a trained analyst. The presence of
preservatives can also only be detected by chemical analysis. As these
products are practically all put on the market by the large packing
houses and designed for interstate commerce, they are subject to
government inspection, and, therefore, if they bear the government
stamp may be considered pure. The point that the housekeeper may
consider is the length of time the meat has remained in the can. Put
up under proper precautions these canned goods retain their
wholesomeness for an almost indefinite period. The heads of the cans
should always present a concave surface; if they are convex, it is a
sign of decomposition of the contents. When the can is opened the meat
should have a clean appearance, free from mold or greenish hue, and
the odor should be fresh and not tainted.

=Sausages.=--If possible, sausages should be homemade, then one may be
assured of their purity and freedom from adulteration.

Owing to the rapid color changes and early decomposition of fresh
meat, artificial colors are often used to conceal the former, and
preservatives