CANNED MEATS 431 
sausage. The bacteriology of sausage is essentially the same as 
that of Hamburger steak. One difference is the content of spices in 
sausage. While most of the work on bacteria in sausage has been con- 
cerned with meat poisoning, a little has been done which gives informa- 
tion with regard to the normal bacteria which may be present. V. D. 
Sloonton (1907) found few bacteria in sausage and in one instance the 
sausage was sterile. Drying and smoking greatly reduced the number 
of bacteria. Highly seasoned sausage was very detrimental to certain 
bacteria. Cary (1916) made a comprehensive study of the sausage with 
regard to the numbers of bacteria which were present and the factors 
influencing them. The sausages were purchased upon the market in 
Chicago. It is interesting to note that Cary regards the bacterial count 
of sausage as of little importance. Many factors such as precautions in 
manufacture, handling in shops, and presence of preservatives influence 
the count. 
The following bacteria which are of special importance were isolated 
from thirty-four samples: 
Bacillus Colon... occ eee ens . 30 times 
Proteus vUgartS. 2... ccc cece cece ee ceeeeeees 11 times 
B. paracolon.. 6. cc cee eee . 9times 
B, fecalts.. 00. cc cece eens 8 times 
Yeast... 6.6.0 ccc cee eee ee eee .. .. . 8S8times 
StreptOCOCcus... 1.2... eee eee eee 5 times 
Staph. Qureus oc eee 2 times 
The cultures of B. paracolon resembled B. paratyphosus morphologically 
and culturally but were not agglutinated by either paratyphoid or enter- 
itidis sera. The casings were regarded as unimportant in influencing 
the count of sausage, if they were properly prepared. 
Canned Meats. Some aspects of the canning problem have been 
taken up in another chapter. More attention may be given, however, to 
the canning of meats at this time. Practically all kinds of meats are 
canned. The procedure which is followed depends very much on the 
kind of meat. Canned meat possesses characteristics which are in sharp 
contrast with some of those of fresh meat. It is trimmed free from 
bone cartilage and contains a smaller amount of water than fresh meat. 
The cost, therefore, is not much more than that of fresh meat. 
Some investigations have been made on canned meats. Beveridge 
and Fawcus (1908) reported that when tins of meat of identical size and 
shape are heated, there is a difference in the length of time required 
for the interier of the cans to reach the same temperature. The lowest 
