CHICKENS COLD-STOKED VNDER KNOWN CONDITIONS. 51 



BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION." 



The bacteriological study of the fresh and cold-storage fowls has 

 been concerned with the presence of bacteria in the tissues, and their 

 species. The birds were sent to the bacteriological laboratory from a 

 lot obtained for general work and, previous to their reception at 

 least, were in nowise differently treated from the others. When 

 received at the laboratory they were examined immediately, or, if 

 this was impossible, they were placed on ice for the short period of 

 waiting. 



The portions of muscle to be examined were obtained by searing 

 the surface to insure sterility; then small pieces were removed with 

 a stiff platinum hook such as is commonly used for this purpose. 

 The fragments were transferred to suitable media and incubated at 

 body heat, and in many cases also at from 15 to 20 C. The media 

 used in routine consisted of plain agar, nutrient bouillon, plain gelatin, 

 glycerin agar, and, for the detection of gas-forming organisms, a 2 per 

 cent dextrose broth. Growth from the fresh chickens occurred with 

 a fair degree of promptness. In the cold-storage chickens, on the 

 other hand, six days or more were required at 20 C. 



A close examination was made of the physical condition of the birds, 

 and brief descriptions of them are here given. The results obtained 

 with the fresh chickens are tabulated in the table. These fowls were 

 all in good physical condition. They were drawn, and had been picked. 

 The muscles were elastic, yet tender. The birds were killed by 

 puncturing the spinal cord by way of the mouth. Hence there was 

 a wound in the head, and, owing to the manner of killing, it was of 

 course more or less infected with organisms from the knife. Here 

 and there there were slight abrasions of the skin and sometimes the 

 wing bones were broken, such accidents being likely to happen in 

 the killing and picking of the fowls. Internally they were all in good 

 condition. Parasitism was not noticed in any case. The odor of the 

 flesh was pleasant, lacking rancidity. The tissues in the region of 

 the gall bladder had rather a greenish tinge. 



Two of the six fresh chickens examined were sterile, cultures being 

 made from heart blood, liver, spleen, bone marrow, and muscle tissue. 

 All of the others showed one or more organs infected. The variety 

 of organisms isolated, however, was not large. In this connection 

 it -should be noted that chicken No. B. C. 559, received shortly after 

 killing, was kept in a sterile metal container on ice overnight. It 

 was, therefore, somewhat more than twenty-four hours old when the 

 examination was made. No. B. C. 694 was kept on ice under the 

 same conditions for a few hours only. 



The first examination of cold-storage fowls was made when they 



" Conducted by G. W. Stiles, jr. 



