[HARRISON & KENNEDY] DISCOLOURATION OF CODFISH 109 



Three species of yeast (A, B, Y), varying in size from 3 ju to 6 /x, 

 growing well in salt media, with an optimum salinity of 10 per cent., 

 the cells becoming larger with increase of salt content. No colour 

 produced. Three species of bacteria are described, a coccus pro- 

 ducing a yellow to yellowish red pigment, a second coccus giving 

 a wax yellow colour and a non-chromogenic bacillus. All of these 

 were halophilic, optimum salinity 10-15 per cent. 



In the resume, Hoye stated that there was no doubt that under 

 the name of red bacteria there were at least two species concerned — 

 a medium-sized sarcina and a micro-coccus, and a species described 

 by Olav Johan-OIsen, named Sarcina rosacea, smaller in size than that 

 seen by himself. 



In all probability there were three species, but Hoye did not 

 know which was the most dangerous. He found the red sarcina only 

 once on some Norwegian cod, and at the same time in large numbers 

 in a salt shop at Bergen. The micro-coccus had been found several 

 times in samples of salt coming from various stores. 



Hoye considered that the various methods of handling salt cod 

 tended to produce different results — the French method of handling 

 favouring the development of the red bacteria, and the Norwegian 

 method of drying their product resulting in the growth of Torula 

 epizoa. 



Hoye (22) examined some 36 samples of salt from Lofoten, 

 especially to ascertain the number of spores of Torula epizoa present. 

 He found other organisms on twelve of these samples, red bacteria. 

 Micro-coccus B, Bacillus Y, and also Sarcinomyces islandiciis. The 

 presence of the red organism he regarded as suspicious and deserving 

 the attention of fish curers. A hasty examination showed that the 

 red form was an oval coccus, 1 m in diameter, and which formed on 

 17 per cent, salted meat small red slimy colonies. 



Hoye also examined thirty samples of fish for Torula epizoa and 

 red bacteria. Nine of these samples gave red bacteria on salted fish. 

 The red organism grew in small, raised, irregular, round, intensive 

 red colonies, always grew on the surface and never in the tissues of 

 the fish. Microscopically this red organism was a slightly oval 

 capsulated coccus, about 1 /x in diameter, often appearing as a diplo- 

 coccus. In all probability it was identical with the form found in 

 salt. 



Its growth was extraordinary slow, on fish at room temperature 

 often taking several months. 



Beckwith (23) isolated, during the summer of 1907, a diplococcus 

 from reddened fish. This organism, which he named Diplococcus 



