Day 008 - 07 Jul 94 - Page 24
1 asked was this: We see that on the right hand side in the
reusables column for the three years 1976, 1983 and 1989,
2 the colonies of bacteria on a reusable utencils increases
from 274.9 to 409.8?
3 A. Yes.
4 Q. Whereas in the left hand column, disposables column, for
the same year, the column is decreased per utensil from
5 17.6 down to 2, do you see that?
A. Yes.
6
Q. Do you have any explanation for why the two graphs, if
7 I can call them that, go in opposite directions?
A. Are you asking my opinion of that?
8
Q. Yes, your opinion?
9 A. My opinion would be, just an educated opinion, that
I will look at that and I know the measurement rules that
10 are used to measure such things have got a lot more
sophisticated and scientific. Therefore, at least, one of
11 my assumptions was that it is an issue of measurement
becoming more exacting.
12
MR. JUSTICE BELL: Improved technology might account for the
13 increase in reusables?
A. Improvement in measuring bacteria and micro organisms.
14 Therefore, it would also be more precise.
15 MR. RAMPTON: That was not quite my question.
16 MR. JUSTICE BELL: No. It had occurred to me in advance
whether that was so, but I should not interrupt the
17 witness.
18 MR. RAMPTON: No, my Lord, I am quite content. My question is
really this: One notices that the numbers of colonies
19 between the three studies from 1976 to 1989 in the
disposables group goes down over that period; whereas the
20 number of colonies in the reusables group goes
significantly up. Do you have an opinion why that should
21 be so?
A. No, I do not, other than I look at that -- I do not
22 know of anything that would have caused that beyond
measurement becoming more precise.
23
MR. JUSTICE BELL: That might account for the reusables going
24 up?
A. I think it could -----
25
Q. You have more refined technology which, therefore, traces
26 more bacteria, but that would not appear to account for
the disposables going down?
27 A. I think it could also -- hypothetically, it could be
the same issue.
28
MR. RAMPTON: Mr. Langert, the same technology is used for both
29 kinds of utencils?
A. At the point in time, so when I look at this, I see
30 the relationship being somewhat similar during all these
periods of time. What I see is disposables consistently
