ABSTRACT
The pioneer farmers in America built their milk-houses close to springs to use the cold water to cool the milk rapidly. The use of caves and cellars to store food is another well-known practice. Mechanical refrigeration was discovered in the midnineteenth century but was not commercialized until 1875. By the turn of the previous century, most households had an icebox-an insulated box that contained a block of ice to keep food cold. It was only after the First World War that a domestic refrigerator became the norm. After a very slow start, the application expanded to a way of life that we just cannot imagine doing without.
