78 PRELIMINARY COLD STORAGE STUDIES. 



of organisms, namely 5,564, which developed at 20 C. For chicken 

 No. 82, in storage 4 years, the maximum number of organisms is only 

 254, these colonies developing at 37.5 C. as well as at 20 C. In No. 

 85 the organisms were more plentiful in the muscles of the breast than 

 in the thigh, which is not usually the case. 



An attempt was made to divide the organisms into groups accord- 

 ing to their behavior toward oxygen. Such a grouping must of 

 necessity be somewhat crude, yet the figures which it furnishes are 

 of interest when considered in connection with the chemical work 

 already reported. Those organisms either demanding or tolerating 

 an abundant supply of free oxygen are usually present in the greatest 

 numbers. Occasionally the cultures which exclude obligate aerobes 

 and permit the growth of anaerobes as well as facultatives show the 

 greater number, while the organisms which are not killed by a tem- 

 perature of 80 C. for ten minutes, and which can develop under 

 anaerobic conditions, are usually greatly in the minority, or even 

 entirely wanting. It is of interest to note that such bacteria in the 

 chickens stored for 14 months are very few. The chickens stored 

 for 2 years yield a larger representation and in the 4-year birds 

 they form a considerable proportion of the total number. Another 

 fact of interest is the relative prevalence of this class in the walls of 

 the abdominal cavity. 



All of the various types of colonies resistant to 80 C., and occur- 

 ring under anaerobic conditions, were transferred and studied to 

 determine whether they were obligate anaerobes or facultative organ- 

 isms. Though many colonies have been tested, in not a single 

 instance has an obligate anaerobe been found. No special 'tests have 

 been applied to determine the presence of gas-forming organisms in 

 the tissues, but in almost every case there has been used a lactose 

 agar in some of the petri plates, poured according to Wright's method. 

 Gas production under such conditions has not been observed. 



The character of the flora is varied and, as far as a rather super- 

 ficial study can determine, it belongs chiefly to the ordinary water 

 and air occurring types. The large number of brilliant chromogens 

 is striking; the percentage of motile organisms is high. Molds are 

 at all times abundant and various species of Mucor, Penicillium, and 

 Aspergillus have been noticed. 



