BACTERIOLOGY OF REDDENED COD. 45 



or the snow and ice prevent outside infection and the low tempera- 

 lire arrests growth within the butt sheds and storerooms. The fact 

 hat winter-cured fish spoil when exposed to a warm temperature 

 hows that some other source of infection must be acting continu- 

 msly. If the infection were due wholly to the salt, then the use of 

 nined salt or sterile salt would suffice to prevent spoilage. Experi- 

 lents made by using the refined salts showed some improvement over 

 he use of the solar salt. The fish packers on the Pacific coast have 

 nuch less trouble than those upon the east coast, and ascribe the im- 

 >rovement to the use of a higher grade of salt. In the English prov- 



FlG. H. Marked reddening on the \vttll near the Hour in the storeroom. 



ices some mined salt is used, but spoilage, occurs, whether in less 

 egree than when solar salt is used could not be learned. The infec- 

 ion takes place during the preparation of the fish, for the spoilage 

 ^ the same no matter in what form or where the fish may be shipped, 

 t can not, therefore, come from external infection of the finished 

 rod net. 



With local conditions such that the infecting organisms abound 

 aim-ally , they may be carried into the boats, the butt sheds, the flake 

 ard. the storerooms, and preparation rooms, by the wind, on the 

 loots, clothing, or hands of sailors and factory employees, and by the 

 se of water in making pickle and cleansing the buildings. 



