[HARRISON & KENNEDY] DISCOLOURATION OF CODFISH 111 



joined respectively to three, two or one small ones. A divisional line 

 sometimes showed in a large cell. No spores were found. No 

 motility and no flagella were noted. Capsules formed and were 

 visible in stained and unstained preparations. Stained readily with 

 all the usual stains. On solid media a viscous mass was formed 

 which pulled out with the needle. Zoogloea masses formed on the 

 surface of liquid cultures. Colour varied from pink to bright red. 

 Colour was not affected by alcohol, chloroform, weak ammonia and 

 potassium hydrate, but disappeared in weak acetic acid when taken 

 from cultures, but more sensitive when obtained direct from fish. 

 Strictly aerobic. 



It grew well in beef bouillon, milk, gelatin and agar giving red 

 growth; no liquefaction of gelatin; growth delayed by 5 per cent, 

 salt, considerably so by 10 per cent, and no growth in 15, 20 and 

 25 per cent, salt media. It grew well in bread paste, forming a bright 

 red waxy growth. It also produced pink colour on sterilized rice. 

 In codfish broth there was less abundant growth than on beef gelatin. 



Optimum temperature 72-75° F. Good growth but less at 

 90°-95° F. and very slight growth at 44°-50° F. 



The bacillus was a large one, 5.7 /x long and 0.9 to 1.3 /j. in dia- 

 meter; grew well on all laboratory media, but produced colour, a 

 pink tint, only on bread paste. 



The fungus is similar to that described by Farlow, but other 

 stages in its development are noted. 



A number of inoculation experiments on fish were carried out. 

 Fish sterilized by heating were inoculated, but the fish spoiled by 

 softening and became foul before the germs causing the reddening 

 had time to develop. Afterwards raw fish was used, placed in covered 

 glass dishes. Inoculations with the coccus at room temperatures 

 gave spots a millimetre in diameter in two to three weeks at room 

 temperature. In about five to six weeks reddening developed, 

 usually at places on the fish other than the points of inoculation. 



When coccus and bacillus were used together, general reddening 

 followed, sometimes at other points. Control pieces remained free 

 from reddening in most cases. It occurred, however, at times but 

 later than was the case with the inoculated pieces. 



Partially paraffined fish was also used with results similar to 

 the above, but no reddening under the paraffin. 



The author concluded that the coccus was the organism which 

 produced the reddening. 



Note should also be made of the foul odour which accompanied 

 the reddening. 



