

GENERAL REVIEW OF THE INVESTIGATION. 107 



Such changes as were observed in the flesh of these cold-stored 

 fowls make it especially desirable that there be carried out certain 

 pharmacological experiments, using preparations of cold-stored tis- 

 sues. It is held by some of our most eminent medical authorities 

 that many severe intestinal disturbances are traceable to cold-storage 

 animal products, particularly when the viscera are not removed 

 before storing. Hemmeter says in this connection: "I have per- 

 sonally 'observed numerous cases of sudden and severe auto-intoxica- 

 tion from the gastro-intestinal tract which I could interpret in no 

 other way but that they were due to the ingestion of cold-storage 

 food." 



In view of the indisputable fact that changes do take place in 

 flesh at low temperatures, and. considering the authority lent to the 

 above statement by the prominence of its author, it would seem 

 most necessary that further experiments based on strictly scientific 

 principles be prosecuted looking toward either its refutation or expla- 

 nation in order that the evil may be remedied, if it exists. The 

 intestines, which are left in situ in storage birds, show a very marked 

 degeneration. Their muscular walls grow thinner in cold storage 

 until they are the merest remnants, which threaten to disappear alto- 

 gether and which even very careful handling may easily rupture. 

 This degeneration is noticeably active in the muscular rather than in 

 the cellular tissues of the intestines. This is important when it is 

 considered that the bacterial flora of the intestinal contents will, of 

 course, contain any pathogenic germs which usually accompany the 

 colon bacillus. Hence the perforation of the walls of the intestines, 

 which apparently takes place by continued digestive processes even 

 in cold storage, would open the way for a rapid migration of such 

 bacteria on thawing and previous to cooking. Thus it is quite pos- 

 sible that dangerous bacterial organisms might be translated to the 

 edible portions of the fowl through the perforations of the intestines 

 in the period between thawing and cooking. This degeneration of 

 the walls of the intestines must, therefore, be regarded as highly 

 significant. 



Memorial number of the Maryland Medical Journal, June, 1905, 48: No. 6. 



