90 REPORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. 
plain and fish agar. The following conclusions were drawn from 
the experiments: (1) Fresh muscle tissue is practically sterile; 
(2) drawn fish show more bacteria than undrawn fish as the period 
of storage in ice progresses and in a shorter time; (3) undrawn fish 
stored for a period of two or three weeks in ice and totally unfit for 
food showed relatively few bacteria; (4) autolysis seems to play a 
more important part than bacteria in the initial stages of the decom- 
position of fish stored in ice. 
Further studies relate to organisms which cause the “ reddening ” 
of salt fish, especially of the cod, a condition which detracts from the 
appearance of the fish, diminishes the market value of the product, 
and causes serious economic waste. After a period of preliminary 
studies in the laboratory during the early part of the year, it was 
determined to transfer the work to the seat of industrial operations 
at a principal fishing port. The conditions determining the preva- 
lence of this infection, for such it is, are now pretty x. ell understood, 
and it is believed that the solution of the problem of preventing the 
infection is about to be realized. 
Miscellaneous investigations of problems of preservation.—Other 
scientific investigations of immediately practical application have 
related to the salting and smoking of shark meat, the utilization of 
grayfish eggs through the preparation of a soluble acid albumen, the 
extraction of the oil from grayfish eggs, the preparation of gelatin 
from the heads, fins, and tails of the grayfish, and the relation of 
ammonia production in the grayfish to the corroding of tin. The 
alleged toxic qualities of the roe of the garfish have been studied both 
from chemical and physiological points of view, and some experi- 
ments have been made to determine the origin of a certain objection- 
able flavor which is said to characterize caviar prepared from the roe 
of the carp. None of these investigations has as yet reached a point 
justifying the publication of results. 
The more directly scientific investigations have been supplemented 
by practical trials of the preservation of fish in various ways, and in 
some cases important results have been obtained in the application 
of old methods to new fishes. The demonstrations associated with 
such trials have been productive of much good, not only through 
instruction of fishermen in the use of approved methods of preser- 
vation which were previously unknown or unused in certain locali- 
ties, but, as well, through the education of fishermen with reference 
to the value of extreme care in the adaptation of commercial methods 
to the particular species of fish, to the local or seasonal conditions, 
and to the demands of the market which it is intended to supply. 
The scientific assistants in the regular employ of the Bureau and 
the specialists from without who have associated themselves tempor- 
arily with the Government fisheries service have taken an active and 
effective part in the work of propaganda or public education in the 
more general and more intelligent use of fish as food. In such work 
these men of science render a particularly valuable service, because 
they can speak or write without bias and with a knowledge of the 
nutritive value of fish food and its appropriate place in the diet. 
The Bureau has had ample evidence that the public generally has 
appreciated such service and that it has responded in a practical 
way to the counsel which has been offered. 
