MEAT BACTERIA 



155 



Furthermore, meats decompose much more readily than vegetable 

 substances, which makes it necessary to observe greater care in the 

 preparation of this class of food for the market. Some meats 

 decompose much more readily than others. Meats of higher 

 animals resist decomposition longer than do meats of lower ani- 

 mals. Fish meats decompose quickly when exposed to the air. 

 The story is current among fishermen that certain kinds of fish 



FIG. 48. Bacillus welchii, also known as B. aerogenes capsulatus and B. phleg- 

 mones emphysematosa in smear preparation. This is the common " gas bacillus, " be- 

 cause of the abundant gas formation in the tissues invaded and in culture media. ^ It 

 is a plump large nonmotile, anaerobic, capsulated, Gram positive, spore-bearing 

 bacillus and is very widely distributed in nature. (Williams.} 



begin to decompose before they can be removed from the hook. 

 This is of course exaggeration, but the statements made indicate 

 in a way the comparative resisting power of different kinds of 

 meat to rotting bacteria. It is highly probable that the difference 

 in the resisting power to decomposition is due in part at least to 

 the presence of bacteriolysins. Little is known regarding the 

 changes which take place in cold storage meats. Cold storage 



