GENERAL REVIEW OF THE INVESTIGATION. 103 



vent possible infection. It is evident, therefore, that the data which 

 have been obtained from the bacteriological study of the market 

 cold-stored chickens, as conducted at Philadelphia, must be accorded 

 full value, and the acknowledgment made that with ordinary cold 

 storage of fowls under market conditions the bacterial flora is likely 

 to be very greatly increased. 



In the examination of the market cold-storage chickens there was 

 observed a very definite correlation between those fowls in which 

 the quantitative bacteriological findings indicated a relatively large 

 number of organisms and the gross chemical analysis of the bird so 

 far as the degradation of proteids was concerned. Here also the bac- 

 teriological and chemical findings were abundantly confirmed by his- 

 tological sections of the tissues, which showed an invasion of the 

 individual fibers by masses of organisms which had undoubtedly 

 altered the chemical composition of the muscle fibers themselves to 

 such an extent that finally their chemical integrity was absolutely 

 lost. For the detailed summary of the various phases of the inves- 

 tigation of market cold-stored chickens reference should be made to 

 the close of the special report on this subject, page 94. 



Among other considerations the proper removal of the viscera from 

 the cavity of the drawn fowls is a matter of great consequence in case 

 they are to be kept in this condition. In point of fact, however, a 

 very small percentage of the fowls which are placed in cold storage 

 are drawn, so that the precautions for the removal of the intestines 

 without danger of infection are of no very great consequence. In 

 drawn fowls, however, such as were half of those stored for the Wash- 

 ington experiments, the utmost care was exercised to prevent infec- 

 tion from the intestinal contents during drawing. This is a danger 

 which the advocates of drawing fowls have, as a rule, overlooked. It 

 is evident that without proper precaution very grave danger of intes- 

 tinal infection may attend the drawing of fowls. 



Attention must also be called to the fact, which seems to be well 

 established by the investigations, that food products which have 

 been kept a long while in cold storage, even if they are sterile, are 

 much more sensitive to infection and the rapid development of dele- 

 terious substances due thereto than when in the fresh state. It is com- 

 monly conceded to be a general practice in withdrawing cold-storage 

 chickens or other birds from the warehouse to place them in very 

 cold water until the flesh is thawed. This has a double purpose of 

 preventing too rapid thawing, which would be somewhat destructive 

 to the tissues, and at the same time of permitting the absorption of the 

 water which has been lost during the time of storage. During this 

 period it is evident that the carcasses must be subjected to infection. 

 Subsequent to this preliminary treatment the chickens are placed 

 upon the shelves for sale and may remain there a long time, depending 



