Taylor. — Preservation of Fish by Salt 145 



substances in concentration to be of any assistance. Whether 

 or not bruises have the effect in promoting decomposition of 

 fat that they have in promoting decomposition of protein is 

 not known, but would be well worth knowing, and here fur- 

 ther investigation is certain to be of value. It is known that 

 much of the fat in living fish is contained within enclosed 

 cells, and that even the fattest fish is not greasy when fresh. 

 But whenever the cells are ruptured by rough handling, de- 

 composition, or whatever cause, the oil escapes and is exposed 

 to all the unfavorable influences of enzymes, moisture, air 

 and light, and the fish has become greasy. Eventually it will 

 become rancid. And further, oil escaped from the fish, being 

 lighter than brine, at once rises to the top of the barrel and 

 is lost as food. 



All sorts of possible preventives of rust are practiced or 

 suggested for practice; such things as impermeable barrels, 

 air-proof covering over the liquid, a reducing substance in the 

 brine to absorb the oxygen, cool, dark storage, and the like. 

 There is, of course, much dissolved oxygen in the juice of the 

 fish and in the brine and also considerable amounts of free 

 oxygen occluded in the cavities of the fish to effect consider- 

 able rancidity even if all outside air is excluded. This dis- 

 solved and occluded air can be removed by a vacuum pump, 

 but has never been tried commercially, so far as the writer is 

 aware. Very little improvement can be expected until the 

 problem has been thoroughly investigated by scientific 

 methods. In the improved technique recommended by the 

 Bureau of Fisheries in Florida, complete covering of the salt 

 fish by brine in tight barrels was specified. 



REDDENING OF COD AND HADDOCK 



If cod and haddock escape rusting because of lack of fat, 

 they are subject to another enemy perhaps as bad, namely, 

 reddening, by which large quantities of cod and haddock are 

 lost every year. For the past three years work has been con- 



