CHAPTER XX. 



THE PRESERVATION OF MEAT, EGGS, VEGETABLES, 

 AND FRUIT. 



129. Storage in Cold Chambers. 



IT has been established by the researches of MEISSNER and ROSEN- 

 BACH (L), G. HAUSER (III.), F. ZAHN (I.), J. VON FODOR (I.), and 

 others, that the blood and flesh of healthy animals are entirely 

 free from fungi. On the other hand, the contents of the digestive 

 organs are exceedingly rich in Schizomycetes, higher fungi not being 

 absent, though their number is quite subordinate to that of the 

 former organisms. As was shown by D. POPOFF (I.), the digestive 

 canal of the healthy new-born animal is, at the moment of birth, 

 free from bacteria. These, however, subsequently obtain access, 

 principally in the food, and the contents of the bowels become 

 extremely rich in microbes. According to the researches of KENCKI 

 and FREY (L), such species as decompose the carbohydrates predo- 

 minate in the small intestine in man, whereas in the large intestine 

 the microbes productive of albuminoid putrefaction exert their sway. 

 If, now, the carcase of a slaughtered animal be left without 

 being disembowelled, these saprophytes will make their way 

 through the capillary vessels of the intestinal villi into the arteries, 

 the alkaline contents of which (rich in albumin), are unusually 

 favourable for the development of these acid-shy putrefactive 

 bacteria, so that the entire carcase quickly begins to undergo de- 

 composition. This can be prevented by the excision of the entire 

 length of the alimentary canal from cesophagus to rectum inclusive, 

 and if this long-known and practised precaution lie adopted, then 

 the remaining flesh, &c., will be perfectly free from fungi. If 

 putrefaction subsequently arises, it is due to the bacteria from 

 external sources (air, supports, butchers' hands, &c.) obtaining 

 access to and settling in the flesh. Their gradual penetration by 

 way of the blood-vessels into the interior of the flesh was studied 

 by S. TROMBETTA (I.) and by Gartner. The latter found them 

 only in the external layers in the case of meat three days old, but, 

 at the end of another seven days, they had penetrated to a depth 

 of 2 c.m. below the surface. Since the sources of this bacterial 

 infection cannot be entirely shut off, though they may be con- 

 siderably reduced by cleanly procedure, attempts are made to 

 prevent the increase of these parasites in the flesh. 



