304 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



whilst in case of repairs from accidents, peat moss is much cleaner and weighs less 

 than charcoal. In storing hard frozen fish, as far as practicable leave an air space 

 around each big fish, whilst large valuable fish, like meat carcasses, are best kept clean 

 and undamaged by a separate canvas shirt or sack. Small fish can be packed in layers 

 of peat moss. 



REQUIREMENTS FOR A SANITARY FISH MARKET. 



It is essential that the entire premises used for fish-storing should be constructed 

 of glazed, polished, or enameled, level-faced, non-absorbent, non-porous structures and 

 materials; marble, granite, or artificial " stones," highly polished; glazed bricks or 

 glazed tiles; stout, hard, smooth glass; enameled slate or enameled metals for walls, 

 ceilings, fittings, and fish slabs. Fish markets should have roofs of glass and metal 

 only. Supports for the stands can be made of highly-polished or enameled metal, 

 best circular or tubular in form, so as to avoid edges, ridges, and corners, which act 

 as traps or dust bins to collect dirt and dust and breed therein contagious putrefactive 

 bacteria to spoil unspoilt fish. The flowing or pavement should be even, non-porous, 

 non-absorbent, hard, but not too slippery. In public markets a good gradient or fall 

 towards the gutters and outlets is necessary for cleansing and disinfecting purposes. 



To exclude contagious putrefactive bacteria, absolute cleanliness, dryness, and 

 low temperature are imperative. If fish were bled before blood clotting, immediately 

 gutted, cleaned inside and outside with abundant water, especially sea water, and 

 then dry-cold-air refrigerated, these processes would dispense with the expense of ice 

 and disinfectants. Ungutted fish degrades a fish market or fish shop into an offal or 

 filth store. It is as unjustifiable an abomination as an u uncleaned " or ungutted meat 

 carcass, which no "butcher" would tolerate in his shop. By butcher I mean meat 

 vender, who always keeps his slaughter and offal house apart and away from his shop. 

 Fishmongers and fish salesmen should do likewise. 



Besides the avoidable Billingsgate bouquet, the number of flies and blue-bottles 

 in warm weather found in fish stores often roughly indicate the amount of avoidable 

 filth and decomposing fish stored in and about the premises. The penetrating odor 

 of bad fish and fish refuse usually prevents the fishmonger being able to let off profit- 

 ably, if at all, the upper unused parts of his house. Being a local nuisance to the 

 immediate neighbors, some landlords decline to let to fishmongers, while other landlords 

 make many a poor fishmonger pay increased rent, which entails increased rates and 

 taxes on the struggling tenant. 



For economical advantages cold dry air and electric light are used in many large 

 wholesale meat stores and shops. Such conditions are alike applicable for storing fish 

 at sea or on land. The burning of gas evolves moisture, heat, and carbonic acid, 

 besides some carbonic oxide, sulphurous acid, sulphureted hydrogen, ammonia, etc., 

 which in crowded market places, added to the impure products given off by continual 

 excessive respiration and perspiration, contaminate and vitiate a limited supply 

 of air, especially damp air and fogs. These, together with the dirt brought in from 

 the streets and stables sticking to the boots of the market crowds, which mud and tilth 

 necessarily adheres to its pavement, are all united conditions and circumstances fur- 

 ther favoring the rapid decomposition of unspoilt, spoiling, and spoilt fish. Hence to 

 diminish these evils large public fish markets should be supplied with electric light. 

 Gas should be in readiness in event of the electric light being out of order or during 

 the engineer's accidental absence, etc. 



