BACTERIOLOGY OF THE OYSTER. 51 



From these tables it can be seen that the first appearance of the 

 bacteria in the intestine was thirteen hours after inoculation and in the 

 rectum five hours later. We would expect to find the organisms in 

 the stomach within a very short time after inoculation of the shell 

 liquor. Since these experiments are few in number one must neces- 

 sarily be conservative in the conclusion drawn. 



THE BACTERIAL CONTENT OF OYSTERS DURING STORAGE. 



The change in the bacterial content of oysters during storage at a 

 temperature at which they are kept in oyster houses and during 

 transportation is a matter of very great importance from the point 

 of view of the public health. The oyster is a living organism capable 

 of maintaining itself for a long period when removed from its natural 

 element. It is possible that the digestive juices or the phagocytic 

 cells of the oyster might materially decrease the number of bacteria 

 in the oyster. On the other hand, even if the digestive secretions and 

 the phagocytic cells were bactericidal, it is possible that the rapid 

 multiplication of the bacteria in the shell liquor might be sufficient 

 to maintain or increase the number of bacteria in the oyster as a whole. 

 In order to observe the change in the bacterial content of oysters 

 during storage the writer carried out the following experiment : 



About a bushel of polluted oysters were taken from the Providence 

 River December 5, 1913. and put into storage in the Laboratory at an 

 average temperature of 10®C. The temperature was fairly constant 

 and did not rise above 11°C., although for a short time during a period 

 of exceptionally cold weather the temperature fell to 8°C., but it 

 soon rose again to 10°C. The oysters were put into storage in the 

 bag just as they were brought to the laboratory. No attempt was 

 made to clean them in any way. As soon as they arrived a sample 

 of ten oysters was taken from the bag and put on ice and examined 

 the following day. At intervals other samples of ten oysters were 

 removed and examined. The method of examination was the same 

 as that described under "The Bacteriology of the Shell Liquors and 

 the Washings from the Bodies of the Oysters." In all except two 

 instances a 20''C. count, a 37°C. count, a "red" count, and a B. coH 

 count were made. The detailed analysis of each oyster and the 

 bacterial content of each sample as a whole is shown in the following 

 table: 



