[11 J POISONING BY RED CODFISH. 1037 



This kind of corrosion of the muscular libers must, therefore, be at- 

 tributed to an entirely different cause than the development of the red 

 color. It is probably a normal production in the codfish during the 

 salting process. 



In the red codfish no other change is noticed in the muscular tissue, 

 except the formation of small cavities which are found in the salt, white, 

 sound codfish; but the red color penetrates into the flesh, continues to 

 develop, and gains in intensity. 



In an additional note, Dr. Layet states that the small organism com- 

 posing the red part of the codfish is not a fungus, but rather an alga, 

 belonging to the family of the Bacteriaccw. 



We shall not say any more regarding the composition and nature of 

 the red of the codfish, as we desire that our article shall keep the char- 

 acter of a practical hygienic treatise. Whatever may be its nature, the 

 red is evidently a parasitic growtli in the flesh of the codfish. So far 

 as our knowledge goes, there is not a single proof of the poisonous char- 

 acter of this parasite, while proofs of the contrary abound. 



We first give the opinion of Dr. Dumas, of Cette, vice-president of 

 the hygienic council of Herault, as given in the treatise of Mr. Beren- 

 ger-Feraud. Dr. Dumas says: "This fungus is not poisonous in itself, 

 which fact has been sufficiently proved by direct experiments made by 

 the codfish dealers of Cette, who, as well as their employes, have many 

 a time eaten rose-colored and red codfish, which was otherwise per- 

 fectly good, without being in the slightest inconvenienced thereby." 



Mr. Berenger-Feraud adds that the employes of the commissary's 

 department at L'Orieut have frequently made the same experiment with 

 exactly the same result. He does not believe in the poisonous charac- 

 ter of the red of the codfish, and bases his opinion on the circumstance 

 that he has many a time seen people eat rose-colored and even red cod- 

 fish which had no putrid odor without causing any indisposition, and on 

 the fact that Mr. Degorce, principal pharmacist of the navy at L'Orieut, 

 has frequently found this same fungus in otherwise perfectly sound cod- 

 fish, and that fish containing these fungi have repeatedly been eaten with- 

 out causing any disturbance of the digestion, so that it can certaiuly 

 not be termed a poisonous fungus. Mr. Megnin is, as for as we know, 

 the first who has given red codfish to live animals (dogs and rabbits). 

 The result of his experiments was entirely negative, as these animals 

 showed no symptoms of indisposition. He, therefore, reached the con- 

 clusion that this fungus is not poisonous. 



Dr. Carles, of the School of Medicine of Bordeaux, also maintains that 

 the red of the codfish is not injurious to health. He calls to mind the 

 fact that the city of Bordeaux, which for the last two years has been 

 right between two dangerous cholera centers, has remained entirely 

 free from any case of sickness resembling cholera, in spite of the enor- 

 mous quantities of red codfish from the suburban drying establishments 

 which were consumed in the city every day. 



