480 



SCIENCE 



[VOL.-LV, No. 1427 



indicate that the red color is due to two micro- 

 organisms, which probably originated in the 

 sea salt used in curing the fish. The color 

 varies from pale pink to deep crimson, the 

 former the result of the growth of a spirochete, 

 and the latter produced by a bacillus form. 



These microorganisms grow in completely 

 saturated brine on salt fish and on salt piles, 

 but no growth appears in media containing 

 less than 15 per cent, of salt by weight. The 

 most favorable temperature for the growth of 

 both organisms is between 50° and 60° C. in- 

 dicating that the salt lagoons of the tropics 

 are probably sources of infection. Simlight 

 is not germicidal, which also points to their 

 tropical origin where pigmentation is required 

 against bright sunlight. Ordinary bacteria are 

 killed by ten minutes exposure to the bright, 

 sunshine. Salt acts as a preservative prevent- 

 ing the growth of most organisms, but here is 

 an instance of just the opposite effect. 



In summary, the results of recent investiga- 

 tion indicate that the cause of the red color in 

 solar salt and brine is due to organisms as in- 

 dicated above and that their source is salt pro- 

 duced by solar evaporation. Both European 

 and American sea salt is infected, but mined 

 salt is free from their presence. 



The studies made by the Bureau of Fish- 

 eries and by others before it (See Bibliography 

 published by Bureau of Fisheries) have sug- 

 gested to the writer that possibly causes allied 

 to those now producing red coloration in solar 

 salts may have been active as long ago as the 

 Permian. Whatever may be the main cause 

 of the reddening of the Permian potash salts, 

 the question naturally arises, is the reddening 

 in the potash salts of the German Permian, the 

 Alsatian Oligocene and the Spanish Tertiary 

 deposits due to the same or similar agencies 

 that are causing reddening in the solar salt 

 of the present time. It is proljable that both 

 types of salts have been formed under essen- 

 tially similar conditions, that is, salt pan con- 

 ditions. If this last statement be admitted, 

 then it points to the growth of bacteria, at 

 least intermittently, from the Permian down to 

 the present. 



This is presented to induce further study 



along this line and to elicit discussion and 

 opinions. Such studies may also throw some 

 light on temperatures during Permian and 

 later geologic time. 



W. C. Phalen, 

 The Solvat Process Company, 

 Syracuse, New York, 



POPULAR SCIENCE 



To THE Editor or Science: I am sorry to 

 see that Dr. E. Dorsey confii-ms'^ the opinion 

 expressed by Dr. Brooks- and myself' that sci- 

 ence is relatively losing ground in popular 

 interest and esteem. I fear he is right also in 

 saying that this is in part the fault of scien- 

 tists. For the jjrevalent indifference and even 

 hostility of the public to the higher teachings 

 of science may be matched by the indifference 

 and even hostility of certain scientific men to 

 the "vulgarisation of science." 



It is quite true, as Dr. Dorsey points out, 

 that isolated facts, however numerous and 

 authentic, do not constitute science. I have 

 kept that point in mind in all our Science 

 Service work. For instance I said in a recent 

 magazine article:* 



We can get from the reading of science not 

 only new tilings to think about, but, what is more 

 important, new ways of thinking about things. 



But I hope that Dr. Dorsey will not dis- 

 courage those of us who are trying to get a 

 larger amount of "mere information" in the 

 newspapers. A few more facts are really 

 needed to season the mass of fiction there. We 

 may also hope to get over some idea of the 

 relations between facts and how the scientist 

 finds his facts and what he gets out of them. 

 But we can not expect that the newspaper 

 reader will acquire the habit of persistent ex- 

 perimentation, constant criticism, rigorous rea- 

 soning, projection of hypotheses, balancing of 

 theories and suspension of judgment character- 

 istic of the scientific mind. If the layman 



1 Science, 55: 374, 1922. 



- Journal Washington Academy of Sciences, 

 12: 73, 1922. 



3 Science, 55: 241, 1922. 



•'"Science from the Side Lines," in The Cen- 

 tury, January, 1922. 



