MAINE SARDINE INDUSTRY. 21 
BacreRioLoGy oF THE FEED or HERRING AND ITS BEARING ON SWELLS IN CANNED 
SARDINES. 
In other investigations that have been made on swelled canned 
sardines the relation of the bacteria associated with the feed to the 
swelling of canned sardines has not been considered. Thus Cath- 
cart(5) gives the results of the bacteriological examination of swelled 
cans of sardines. All the cans examined emitted gas when they were 
opened. The contents had an extremely bad odor, but were normal 
in appearance. Four different organisms were isolated, one of which 
was found to be Bacillus coli. Injections made intraperitoneally into 
guinea pigs of cultures of the unidentified organisms proved two of 
them to be pathogenic, while the third, seemingly, had no effect. 
In a bacteriological study of swelled sardines canned in Maine and 
New Brunswick, Sadler isolated eight strains of gas-producing 
bacteria from the swells. examined(25). Very complete detailed 
descriptions of the cultures and organisms found, including bio- 
chemical reactions and morphological and biological features, are 
given in Dr. Sadler’s report. 
A very brief summary of the bacteriological studies made during 
this investigation upon the feed and upon swelled cans of sardines, 
both native and imported, is given here.’ No aerobic bacteria were 
found, but Bacillus Walfischrauschbrand,? a rapid spore former, was 
isolated in pure culture. This organism was traced through the gills 
and stomach contents of the fish to the bodies of the live schizopods, 
usually in the thoracic region, and to the masses of copepods. It 
produced gas in the dead fish by its decomposition of the feed within 
the digestive tract. 
During the investigation another organism was isolated, first from 
the stomach contents of a fish ready to be packed and later traced to 
the massed copepods fresh from deep-sea water. This organism, 
designated as Bacillus B., was pathogenic to mice and guinea pigs 
and capable of producing a chemical decomposition similar to that 
produced by B. Walfischrauschbrand. It did not form spores, how- 
ever, and was therefore much less resistant to heat. The Bacillus 
Walfischrauschbrand lived through the processing of the sealed cans 
whenever the temperature of the bath was slightly below the boiling 
point and when cans floated or protruded above the surface of the 
water. 
Samples of various portions of the bodies of many herring were 
cultured anaerobically and aerobically. The flesh was invariably 
free from bacteria when the fish were removed from the weirs. 
1 The bacteriological work was conducted by M. M. Obst, of the Bureau of Chemistry (21). 
2 Bacillus Walfischrauschbrand is the name applied by Nielsen(20) to the organism found in whales 
made sick by being shot with arrows previously inoculated with material from dead whales. The 
practice of shooting with such arrows was employed in certain whale fisheries at that time. The animal 
was easier to harpoon and land by this method. 
