AQUATIC PRODUCTS IN ARTS AND INDUSTKIKS. 2l7 



of territory with 1 he prosecution of 1 he cod fisheries. The only excep- 

 tion is in certain market lislieries where tlie men do not have time to 

 handle the livers properly. 



The market price of medicinal oil frequently falls so low that it 

 pays the manufacturer better to prepare onl}' low-grade oil for leather- 

 currying, soap-making, and the like. The common oil is, of course, 

 turned out at much less cost than the white, odoi'less, medicinal 

 variety. The stearin, which is worth comparatively little and forms 

 a considerable portion of the oil, need not be removed from the manu- 

 facturing grade. The use of the expensive refining plant required 

 for medicinal oil is also obviated. And, finallj^, there is a very con- 

 siderable saving in the cost of packing, as the ordinary oil is shipped 

 in old petroleum barrels, while for the finer grade expensive new casks 

 or metallic drums have to be provided. For several seasons there was 

 a large overproduction of low-grade medicinal oil, and three years ago 

 it sold in New York as low as 50 cents per gallon. Curriers' oil does 

 not often sell for less than 30 cents per gallon, and the demand for it 

 is fairly constant. 



The principal sources of cod-liver oil are the coast of North America 

 from Labrador to Cape Cod, Norway, Scotland, Iceland, the Pacific 

 coast of the United States, and, during recent j^ears, Japan. On 

 account of its greater value, efforts are made on all these coasts to 

 produce the light oil for medicinal purposes; but in most sections, on 

 account of unfavorable natural conditions, only dark or low^-grade 

 oils are practicable. Medicinal oil is prepared chiefl}^ on the coast of 

 Norwaj' and to a limited extent on the Massachusetts, Maine, Nova 

 Scotia, and Newfoundland coasts. 



Owing to the favorable conditions under which the cod fishery is 

 there prosecuted, Norwaj^ ranks first among countries producing 

 medicinal oil, the annual product amounting to about half a million 

 gallons. The fishing-grounds are concentrated and situated very 

 near the coast, so that the fish are landed in quantities within a few 

 hours after capture and before decomposition of the livers has set in. 

 Furthermore, the temperature during the fishing season is very low, 

 being close to the freezing point, and this tends to retard putrefac- 

 tion. In no other part of Europe are the conditions favorable for 

 producing medicinal cod-liver oil. A large quantitj^ of low-grade or 

 curriers' oil is also produced in Norwaj^ amounting probably to as 

 much in bulk as the medicinal oil. 



In Newfoundland much attention has been given to the production 

 of medicinal oil, the manufacturers endeavoring to make it as near 

 like the Norwegian jproduct as possible. Freezing machines were 

 introduced and a considerable quantitj^ of white, odorless, and non- 

 congealing oil Avas made. The general experience, however, was 

 that the difference in market value of the medicinal and the trade 

 oils was not suflicient to warrant the extra care and the additional 



