MAINE SARDINE INDUSTRY. 



99 



Table 41. — Bacteriological examination of the water supplies from representative sources 

 around Eastport, Lubec, and North Lubec, Me. (Sept. 18, 1916). 



Source. 



B. coll present 



in— 



5cc. 



1 cc. 



0.1 cc. 



North Lubec, Me.: 



" + 

 + 

 + 

 + 



+ 



+ 

 + 





 



+ 

 + 

 + 



+ 

 + 















+ 





+ 



Eastport, Me.: 



+ 

 





+ 



DISPOSAL OF SWELLS. 



Swells are caused by the activity of a specific bacterium found in 

 and near the canneries, and associated also with the feed of the 

 small fish. At many canneries the returned swells are dumped into 

 the water near the cannery. 



When loaded into scows the discarded fish and cuttings from the 

 packing tables often are spilled near the wharves. If the collection 

 of this material becomes too large before it is convenient to remove 

 it, it may be thrown overboard below the cannery, where it furnishes 

 an excellent medium of growth to the organisms present in the cans 

 of swells. At low tide any contamination on the beach is gradually 

 washed back by the receding water, and concentrated near the open- 

 ings of the intake pipes. Thus the cycle of infection from the re- 

 turned swells is completed when the bacteria causing them are 

 pumped up through the intake pipe in the canneries, to contaminate 

 the fish which will produce more swells. 



Contamination of the pack in this way may be eliminated only by 

 using fresh water free from pollution. The reprehensible practice of 

 throwing out upon the beach near the canneries returned swells, dis- 

 carded fish, and waste portions and viscera of the fish should be 

 abandoned. Moreover, the opening of the intake pipe through which 

 the water supply is pumped should be far enough offshore and at a 

 sufficient distance from sewer openings to insure water free from 

 contamination. 



BOATS AND TANKS. 



In some of the canneries not enough attention is given to keeping 

 the holds of the boats and the pickling tanks clean. In order that 

 the fish may arrive at the canneries free from any contamination from 

 the boats, the tanks in the boats should be inspected, to see that they 

 are thoroughly clean and sweet before the fish are put into them. 

 These tanks should be absolutely tight to prevent any leakage into 

 the bilge to contaminate the ballast. The bilge and ballast should 

 always be kept clean. The sluices, pickling tanks, carriers, cutting 



