Milk delivered in bottles which have been previously sterilized will be found more satisfactory than that which has been carried in large cans and dipped from vessel to vessel. Each time it is handled the contents of these cans are exposed to floating dust, and the time the milk will remain sweet is shortened. The bottles in which milk is served should be carefully cleaned as soon as emptied, and in warm weather milk should never be left without ice. The careless habit that exists in some kitchens of allowing the milk to stand in a heated room for an hour or more because every one is otherwise employed, should never be tolerated in a hospital. Another point in handling may be worth mentioning; milk or cream intended for the sick may be consumed by kitchen employees, and in spite of the housekeeper’s plans the supply may become exhausted before the new supply is available. This often occurs at night, when it is impossible to replenish the quantity from any source. All calculations as to the amount per capita required will be valueless if servants are allowed to consume it at will. If milk is to be allowed to them as a beverage, then a much larger amount should be ordered. [Sidenote: Cheese] Cheese, which is a concentrated form of milk, while rich in nutrition, is somewhat difficult of digestion, and if bought at all for hospital patients should be purchased sparingly and served in very small portions. Like milk, it needs to be kept cool and entirely separate from fruits, vegetables and meats. [Sidenote: Eggs] Eggs are another of the valuable tissue-building foods in constant demand in hospitals. For fully eight months of the year they can be bought at moderate prices, and considering their great nutritive value are not an expensive form of food. Because of the ease with which they are digested by most invalids, and the great variety of ways in which they may be served, they fill a very important place in the hospital menu. It is said that there are more than five hundred different ways of preparing eggs. The purchase of them is, however, attended with some uncertainty. Many tests for detecting the quality are in use by experts. The “candling” test consists in holding the egg against a light between the eye and the sun. The perfectly fresh, good egg will appear clear and unclouded and the yolk can be perceived. If decomposition has begun, it will appear dark colored. Changes in the appearance of the shell as shown by comparison of fresh and stale eggs are sometimes helps in detecting the quality.