Taylor. — Preservation of Fish by Salt 149 



patented. The original idea, it is understood, was to de- 

 compose the salt in sea water by electrolysis, sodium hypo- 

 chlorite being formed. It was claimed that the sodium hypo- 

 chlorite penetrates faster than ordinary salt. This substance 

 contains some oxygen that may be given off to act as a steril- 

 izing agent ; after the oxygen is given off, ordinary salt or 

 sodium chloride remains. What advantages the process pos- 

 sessed are not altogether apparent, for nothing appears to have 

 come of it. It may be said, however, that sodium hypochlorite 

 readily destroys urea, so that this substance might be advan- 

 tageous in the preservation of grayfish and sharks, but is un- 

 stable and must be used as soon as it is made. 



OTHER FACTORS 



The size and shape of the fish obviously has much to do 

 with the time required for salt to penetrate through. Salt 

 effects no preservation of parts until it reaches them. A thick 

 fish may spoil while a thin fish may be saved; hence the split- 

 ting of fish. Other methods of applying the salt to the inner 

 parts of fish may be used, such as a needle syringe whereby 

 the brine is forced into the tissues, and compressed air which 

 is used to force brine into fish after the excess air has been 

 removed from them in vacuo. It should also be possible to 

 insert a needle in the gill arch and with pressure completely 

 irrigate the whole system of arteries and veins of a fish, re- 

 moving absolutely all the blood at one stroke without cutting 

 the fish. 



CONCLUSIONS 



The preservation of fish by means of salt is an excellent 

 method, even in the crude inexact manner in which the art has 

 hitherto been practiced. The comparatively small amount of 

 scientific research that has been done on the problems and 

 principles involved has not only justified itself in practice, but 

 furnishes abundant grounds for the expectation that a great 

 deal more of valuable results would follow further work. 



