1052 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [26] 



The Spanish dealers say : "Don't buy any more French codfish, be- 

 cause they hare turned red; and that this color is a proof of their bad 

 quality is clearly shown by the recent circular of the French ministry 

 prohibiting the sale of red codfish." A Bilboa paper has even gone so 

 far as to insinuate that it is more than probable that it was the French 

 codfish which last year carried the cholera into Spain, and that if these 

 fish had been carefully examined specimens of Dr. Koch's bacillus would 

 probably have been found. 



All this evidently is not strictly scientific, but it will be seen how 

 much in such matters the hygienic consideration influences the com- 

 mercial side of the question; and it will be understood what great dam- 

 age may be inflicted on commerce by an erroneous scientific opinion 

 when it has been pronounced in an official way, especially in the shape 

 of a prohibitory measure. 



We have stated that the new minister of commerce, Mr. Lockroy, 

 has suppressed the circular of his predecessor until the entire question 

 in all its bearings has been made the subject of exhaustive investiga- 

 tions. We hope that soon sufficient light will have been thrown upon 

 this question to cause the minister to revoke definitively the prohibi- 

 tory measure referred to, and to proclaim positively in a new circular 

 the absolutely harmless Character of red codfish from a hygienic point 

 of view. Such a declaration seems to be the only means of conquering 

 the very considerable prejudice which has been created against these 

 fish by the prohibitory ministerial circular of December 31, 1885. 



VI.— CONCLUSIONS. 



From all that has been said above we feel justified in drawing the 

 following conclusions: 



(1) Cases of poisoning from eating spoiled codfish are extremely rare, 

 considering the enormous quantity of these fish consumed throughout 

 the entire world. 



(2) The exceptional cases which have been observed must be attrib- 

 uted to the eating of spoiled codfish which had already commenced to 

 putrefy, which can always be recognized by the following two certain 

 indications : A putrid odor, and the easy crumbling of the flesh. Every 

 codfish showing these two indications should be condemned at once. 



(3) The red color which often appears on these fish, both when 

 "green" and when "dry," under certain conditions of temperature and 

 the place where they are kept, is no indication of their injurious char- 

 acter; because, on the one hand, it is a well established fact that from 

 time immemorial people have eaten red codfish without experiencing 

 any bad consequences; and because, on the other hand, animals (dogs 

 and cats) have for several days in succession been fed on raw codfish, 

 having a deep red color, without causing any sickness whatever. One 

 may therefore eat without fear any codfish which has preserved its 



