BACTERIOLOGY OF THE OYSTER. 43 



In comparing the total number of bacteria in the shell liquor of all 

 the oysters in each of the experiments with the total number washed 

 from the bodies of these oysters it is seen that the total number of 

 bacteria in the shell liquor of all the oysters was greater than the 

 number washed from the bodies of the oysters. In the first experi- 

 ment the numbers are nearly equal, but in the subsequent experiments 

 there is a great difference. If we consider the individual oysters in 

 all the experiments, we find that in only ten of the oysters out of 

 seventy-seven was there a greater number of bacteria washed from 

 the body than was found in the shell liquor of the corresponding 

 oyster. In one instance the numbers were equal. In the remaining 

 sixty-six oysters there were more bacteria in the shell liquor that were 

 washed from the bodies of the oysters. The 37° C. count and the 

 "red count" were made on only seventeen oysters and in only two 

 instances did the number of bacteria washed from the bodies of the 

 oysters exceed the number found In the shell liquor, while the total 

 number from all the oysters of the two experiments showed that there 

 were on the average a great many more in the shell liquor than were 

 washed from the bodies of the oysters. 



When we consider the number of B. coli found in the shell liquor 

 and the number washed from the body of the same oyster we find the 

 relative numbers quite different. It will be seen in six out of the eight 

 experiments the total number of B. coli washed from the bodies of all 

 the oysters of the experiment exceeded the total number in the shell 

 liquor. In the first two experiments the difference is especially 

 marked. If we consider the individual oysters we find that in thirty- 

 three instances there were more B. coli on the body of the oyster than 

 were in the shell liquor; in thirty oysters the number in the shell 

 liquor exceeded the numl^er washed from the body; in fourteen 

 instances the numbers were equal. But if we consider the total 

 number of B. coli found in the "washings" with the total number 

 found in the shell liquor of all the oysters examined in this series of 

 experiments we find there were on the average more B. coli in the 

 " washings " than there were in the shell liquor. 



We have no reason at present to suppose that B. coli should be 

 distributed other than equally among the other bacteria in the oyster, 

 yet there seems to be a concentration of B. coli in the mucus on the 

 outside of the body of the oyster. The amount of shell liquor in the 

 oysters averaged about ten cubic centimeters. If we consider that 

 there was left upon the body of the oyster one cubic centimeter of 



