- 17 - 



the fish effectually prevents the ingress of germs, and is 

 itself absolutely proof against attack. This is the oldest 

 known method of preserving fish and other animals for 

 food. According to Herodotus, it was practised by the 

 ancient Egyptians, and is now, in some parts of the world 

 where salt is scarce and dear. As mentioned above, a 

 small proportion of the mullet caught at Gam eel are 

 treated in this way, after being split open and sprinkled 

 with salt. 



Honey, sugar, and wax have all been used, on the same By the exoiu- 



•^ ' o ' ' sion of air 



principle, and it is interesting to note that the latter sub- ^tfsTues.^ 

 stance was employed ia recent times at Damietta. In 

 Pocock's travels, the author, while mentioning the indu- 

 stries of Egypt, remarks that "Near Damietta are found 

 a kind of mullet which, after being covered with wax, 

 are, by these means, sent throughout all Turkey, and to 

 different parts of Europe". Historians tell us that the 

 use of all three substances was not unknown to ^he 

 Scythians, Assyrians, and Persians, who used them to 

 preserve the dead bodies of their great men . At the 

 present day, melted fat is poured over meat carcases for 

 the same purpose. 



Within recent years, an application of the same 

 principle has found favour with fish salesmen in England, 

 and on the Continent. Fish are packed in layers in boxes, 

 each layer being covered with a piece of paper, and 

 separated from its neighbour and from the external air 

 by a stratum of moistened sawdust. Fish, in this way, 

 may be kept fresh for three days in an average daily 

 temperature 0/ 28.36° C. 



2 



