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

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