its work
to date, and presented its special plea for cotton-cloth filters as the
ideal coffee-making device.

This booklet aroused considerable discussion, particularly between those
who favored the paper filter and those who, with Mr. Aborn, believed
cotton cloth, such as muslin, to be the most efficient strainer.
"Cotton", argued Mr. Aborn, "is an ideal sanitary strainer because it
contains no chemical or questionable manufacturing element."

It was pointed out by Dr. Floyd W. Robison that while cotton cloth, such
as muslin, does give a fairly clear coffee, it is not so clear as by the
methods where a filter paper is used. He said:

Both methods have serious objectionable features. The muslin bag,
particularly, is decidedly unsanitary, especially when used in
restaurants and hotels. It is rarely kept clean, and one who has
frequented restaurants and many hotel kitchens knows that it lends
itself to very unclean and unsightly methods of handling. The food
inspector has to check this up perhaps as often as any one feature
about a restaurant.

The objection to the filter paper is not at all on the ground of
sanitation. It is ideal in this respect. The claim is made, and at
least, in part, substantiated, that it does hold back valuable
features of the brew.

There are many points about the filter that have not been
considered at all. Mr. Calkin believes that the very best type of
filter is a bed of coffee itself, and I must say this has the
sanction of good laboratory experience.

I.D. Richheimer[380], attacking the cotton cloth filter, said:

It is a known fact that the fats in coffee are very dense and
represent twelve to fifteen percent of the coffee weight. These
fats--due to the simplest chemical action of contact with air,
moisture and continued heat--begin a fermentation in the completed
beverage. In the cloth-filtering process--due to the rapid passage
of water through grounds almost as quickly as poured--the largest
percentage of fats is carried into the beverage. Fat being lighter
than water rises to the top of water if given a certain amount of
time during the brewing process. Were there no fats (which ferment)
in coffee there would be no need for placing cloth-filtering
material under water, as suggested, to keep them from becoming
sour.

In the booklet referred to, M