Radclife. — Markets for Neglected Fishes 69 



perfected, it is claimed that by its use the hide can be removed in 

 four minutes, as compared with from one to two hours by hand. 



With the accomplishment of satisfactory progress in these 

 fields, it was necessary to make various tests as to tensile strength, 

 wearing qualities, etc., to determine the uses to which such leathers 

 are best suited, and to call to the attention of manufacturers of 

 leather goods such qualities of excellence as these leathers possess, 

 that they may be interested to purchase available supplies. As a 

 matter of passing interest, it may be mentioned that the average 

 tensile strength per square inch of three tanned hides was 3,479; 

 3,905; and 4,742 pounds respectively. 



Oils. With the increased demand for and advance in price of 

 edible oils and fats, interest has been aroused in the possibilities of 

 rendering fish oils suitable for edible purposes. This has already 

 been accomplished in the case of whale fat. In 1914, Denmark used 

 20,000 barrels of hardened whale fat in the margarin industry, and 

 it is reported to be well suited for making margarin that keeps 

 well and tastes well, and to be even better suited for making lard. 



Processes of hydrogenation have been evolved, which, it is 

 claimed, will render fish oil suitable for edible purposes. Our 

 responsibility does not end here. For example, one technologist 

 has discovered the presence of a large percentage of hydrocarbon 

 oil in the liver oil of some sharks. In such cases, the oil may be 

 unsuitable for food purposes. It is important that information of 

 this character be ascertained and made available. 



As hydrogenation is usually accomplished by the use of a 

 metal catalyist such as nickel, presence of traces of which may 

 render the oil unsuitable for food, it is important that care be 

 exercised to avoid this contingency, or methods developed which 

 do not require the use of such metals. In addition, hydrogenation 

 should not be carried so far as to raise the melting point of the 

 fats above 98.6° F., the temperature of the body, as otherwise they 

 are not liquefied in the body. 



Preservation. In developing satisfactory methods of pre- 

 serving the flesh, difficulties have been encountered, some of 

 which may require extended research and experiment before they 

 are overcome. For example, the flesh contains small quantities 

 of urea, a substance of itself practically harmless. By various 

 methods, the urea may be converted into ammonia, which in 



