REFORMS IN THE FISHERIES OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 301 



again, much dearer than in London. Compared with the winter prices, during the 

 summer months, when ice is most used and most wasteful, it is much dearer — some- 

 times by 50 per cent. 



Experience seems to show that the gravest cases of fish poisoning arise more 

 commonly from eating fish which has been iced than from eating fish kept naturally 

 cool and dry. Where fish is iced it appears that the ice only favors putrefaction by 

 furnishing a constant supply of moisture carrying with it the putrefactive bacteria 

 derived from its foul surroundings, so that this iced fish remains covered with fresh 

 solutions of filth pregnant with putrefactive bacteria. Thus large quantities of those 

 subtle complex bodies, the animal alkaloids or ptomaines, are probably elaborated and 

 give rise to marked symptoms of poisoning which sometimes occur from eating iced 

 fish. On the other hand, keeping fish dry and cool can in no way favor putrefaction. 

 And although here cases of poisoning may happen, yet, as far as I can gather, the 

 symptoms are much less serious and go off sooner, the toxic or poisonous effects being 

 usually confined to a passing attack of vomiting and diarrhea; whilst in the case of 

 iced fish the vomiting and diarrhea may be less marked, though the other symptoms 

 may be much more profound and lasting, and sometimes even fatal. 



THE ADVANTAGES OF DRY-AIR REFRIGERATION. 



Apart from its present high prices, fish is but comparatively little eaten in the 

 United Kingdom, because it seldom reaches the consumer until it is more or less spoilt, 

 whilst English meat is usually of excellent quality and condition. 



To obtain an imperishable, cheap, healthy, and abundant supply of fish food, it is 

 necessary to bleed, gut, and clean the fish at once on capture, and forthwith transfer 

 it to the dry-cold-air refrigerator chambers of special steamers at the fishing-grounds. 

 This hard-frozen fresh fish should be distributed to the fish markets, wharves, and 

 stores situated on canals aud .rivers by dry-air refrigerator barges, or insulated 

 covered barges for shorter distances, whilst seaport towns could receive the fish direct 

 from the refrigerator steamers, as well as towns like London having wide and deep 

 rivers. As far as possible all railways should be avoided. In the United Kingdom 

 their extortionate rates for the carriage of fish have oppressed the fish trades to the 

 special injury of the poor. However, if frozen fish has to be sent long distances by 

 rail to towns unprovided with canals, rivers, or lakes, as in some of the American 

 cities, then special refrigerator railway fish cars are advisable. 



Fresh food is kept imperishable and healthy only by regulating the temperature 

 so that the bacteria of putrefaction and their complex products can not exist. Vege- 

 table and animal foods at low temperatures remain imperishable, provided always 

 that all available moisture is excluded. Meat, game, poultry, and fish must be 

 thoroughly bled before blood-clotting, then gutted and cleaned. Before being artifi- 

 cially cooled or refrigerated, fiesh must gradually give up its animal heat, its excess of 

 moisture, and complete the rigor mortis. In arctic climates killed animals, if unified 

 and nngutted aud not previously gradually cooled, may be hard frozeu outside and 

 putrid internally. Tlius, much refrigerated meat, etc., have been spoilt by omitting 

 to let off the excess of its animal heat and its rigor mortis (" setting" or u firming" in 

 meat, "stiffening" in fish) prior to artificial cooling or refrigeration. 



In Russian winters fish is naturally frozen for months, and is sawn for the retail 

 customer. Fish is kept frozen naturally by the dry, cold winter air, in the Hudson 



