The Bulletin. 89 



fish were unloaded from the boat at the old place first, coming from the 

 top, they evidently represented the last part of the catch. As the fish 

 packed at the new house were unloaded last, and came from the bottom 

 of the boat, it is reasonable to suppose that they had been held longer 

 by the fishermen before delivering them to the packers, and it is most 

 likely that this is the reason for the fish packed at the old house being 

 good while the fish packed at the new house, under better conditions, 

 were bad. 



Manufacturers, packers, and dealers are responsible for the condition 

 of food products handled by them, and the packers of the' bad fish are 

 responsible for their condition, but it is to their credit that they were 

 very active in helping to stop the sale of same, and when informed that 

 the fish were bad beyond question, they readily and willingly consented 

 for the fish to be destroyed. 



The situation was serious ; quite a few people had been made very ill, 

 and probably a death or two had been caused by the fish, though at first 

 there was no very positive proof of it. Had the Department and the 

 packers of the fish not acted promptly in stopping the sale of same, it is 

 likely that much illness woula have been produced and many deaths 

 would have occurred. 



("With gratitude this Department acknowledges the assistance rendered 

 in this matter by the Bureau of Chemistry, United States Department 

 of Agriculture, through the Cooperative Division of the same.) 



See conclusions in table below. 



OF EXAMINATION OF SALT FISH. 



