176 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



an iron mill, a Wiley mill, a bone cutter, a refrigeration machine and 

 cold storage cabinet, and miscellaneous jacketed cooking kettles. 

 These are further supplemented by recording instruments and mis- 

 cellaneous experimental equipment developed in the course of investi- 

 gative work. The laboratory has both hot and cold water, a large 

 wash sink, complete lavatory fixtures, and will be heated by an 

 extended surface steam heater. All motive power is by electric 

 motor, either direct or by line shaft, and adequate light, power, 

 water, and gas outlets are provided around the laboratory. This 

 building is a valuable addition to the Bureau's facilities for carrying on 

 technological investigations and will permit semicommercial work 

 heretofore impossible at the Seattle laboratory. 



During 1937 our teclinological investigations in general were 

 delayed or suffered from lack of suitable and sufficient space. Par- 

 ticularly was this true at our technological laboratories at College 

 Park, Md. 



PRESERVATION OF FISHERY PRODUCTS FOR FOOD 



Studies during 1937 in the preservation of fishery products for food 

 were conducted in the Bureau's technological laboratories at College 

 Park, Md., Washington, D. C, and Seattle, Wash. The investiga- 

 tions iti the College Park Laboratory were carried on under the super- 

 vision of James M. Lemon, technologist in charge, assisted by W. T. 

 Conn, assistant technologist; S. R. Pottinger, junior technologist; 

 M. E. Stansby, junior chemist; Joseph F. Puncochar, junior bac- 

 teriologist; William B. Lanham, Jr., junior chemist; Willis H. Baldwin, 

 Hillman C. Harris, L. F. Ortenzio and C. E. Swift, research associates 

 and student assistants ; in the Seattle laboratory under the supervision 

 of Roger W. Harrison, technologist in charge, assisted by Robert E. 

 Silver, junior chemist; Charles Butler, William Clegg, Louis Simenson, 

 Marie Sater, and Rhea Waterberry, chemists, assigned to our labora- 

 tory by the Works Progress Administration; and Leslie Lowen, 

 Neil Nellis, and Robert Rucker, research associates and student 

 assistants; and in the Washington laboratory by Norman D. Jarvis, 

 assistant technologist in charge of experimental canning investiga- 

 tions, and Agnes I. Webster, fish cookery expert. 



ELECTROMETRIC TESTS FOR DETERMINING THE FRESHNESS OF FISH 



Several years ago an electrometric method or test for determining 

 the relative freshness or degree of quality of fresh haddock was devel- 

 oped by M. E. Stansby and J. M. Lemon of our technological staff. Dur- 

 ing the ensuing years these men have been engaged in perfecting this 

 method and in extending its application to the determination of the 

 quality of fresh cod and pollock. In the meantime, as stated in the 

 1936 Division report, considerable interest was aroused by the industry 

 in the possible commercial application of this test. In the original 

 development of the method, the apparatus was designed for the test- 

 ing of not more than four samples, simultaneously. This was one of 

 the difficulties which was encountered when attempts were made by 

 one of the large fishery producers in 1936 to use the test in cornmercial 

 practice. At the request of this firm, and with its cooperation, the 

 Bureau detailed M. E. Stansby to work A\dth technologists of the 



