BACTERIAL DECOMPOSITION OF SALMON 361 



skin and allow many organisms present on the surface to pene- 

 trate the flesh. 



In regard to the presence of Bacterium coli in the digestive tract 

 it may be briefly stated that in no case was this organism isolated 

 from the ceca or intestines of the salmon examined. 



SUMMARY 



1. The muscular tissue of freshly caught salmon is sterile. 



2. After ninety-six hours at temperatures between 50°F. and 

 70°F. the total count of bacteria in the muscular tissue has 

 been found to be as high as 155,000,000 per gram. The high 

 counts obtained are sufficient to explain the decomposition of 

 the tissue. 



3. Thoroughly washing the fish on arrival at the dock results 

 in lower total counts. The washed fish decompose less rapidly 

 than the unwashed fish. 



4. The mouths and gills of salmon contain living microorgan- 

 isms of various kinds even when fresh from the water. 



5. The digestive tract of salmon is sterile when there is no food 

 present. This is in agreement with the findings of Obst in 

 studying sardines. 



6. The various organs of the body become infected through 

 the blood vessels usually within ninety-six hours after the fish 

 are caught. 



7. Salmon out of water more than forty-eight hours at temper- 

 atures between 50°F. and 70°F. are decomposed to such an 

 extent that they are not desirable as food. 



REFERENCES 



Amyot, J. A. 1901 Is the colon bacillus a normal inhabitant of the intestines of 



fishes? Rpts. and Papers of the A. P. H. A., 27, 400. 

 Browne, W. W. 1917 The presence of the B. coli and B. welchii groups in the 



intestinal tract of fish (Stenomus chrysops). J. Bact. 2, 417. 

 Browne, W. W. 1918 Do bacteria play an important part in the initial stages 



of decomposition of fish during storage in ice? Abst. Bact., 2, 6. 

 Eyre, J. W. H. 1904 On the distribution of B. coli in nature. Lancet, 166, 



648. 

 Houston, A. C. 1903-1904 The bacteriological examination of the intestinal 



contents of certain sea-fowl and of fishes. Rpt. of Med. Officer of 



Local Govt. Board, Great Britain, p. 528. 

 Obst, M. M. 1919 A bacteriologic study of sardines. J. Infect. Dis., 24, 158. 



THE JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY, VOL. V, NO. 4 



