90 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
31.— EXPERIMENTAL HYGIENE — ©S5SESSVATIOIVS ©IV THE IiEB 
FLESH ©E THE CODFISH.* 
By Dr. ALEXAWDME LAYET. 
[Keport made to the Mayor of Bordeaux.] 
Fish-dealers acknowledge that the redness in codfish has only recently 
made its appearance, and attribute it to the use of Mediterranean salt. 
This leads us to a consideration of the methods of preserving fish by 
salting it, and of the influence which the degree of salting may have on 
the development of parasitic germs in albuminous substances. Practi- 
cal observations have revealed certain facts which appear to show the 
influence of the method of salting on the appearance of parasitic germs 
in such substances as the red flesh of the codfish and the Norwegian 
sardines; and facts brought out by actual experiments have proved 
that sea-salt has an influence on the development of such germs Miquel 
has shown conclusively that in proportion to the quantity of salt used 
in preserving articles of food, parasites appear in greater or less quan- 
tity ; a certain proportion of salt favors their evolution, whilst another 
proportion entirely prevents it. 
On the other hand, facts gathered from actual observation relating 
exclusively to the sanitary side of the question, show that there have 
been actual cases ol poisoning from codfish which had become changed 
without turning red or by turning red. The cases of poisoning by 
changed codfish which had not turned red are among the earliest known 
and the most common ; whilst the cases where the codfish had turned 
red are very rare. The first cases of this are those reported by Dr. 
Bertherand, of Algiers, in January, 1884. The hygienic commission of 
Algiers had recognized the necessity of withdrawing the red codfish 
from the market. This is the only precedent which can be quoted. 
A second case produced by red codfish is that reported by Mr. Beren- 
ger Feraud, where 200 of the 380 men composing the crew of the man- 
of-war Vengeance, at Lorient, became more or less seriously indisposed 
after having eaten codfish from the naval provision bureau (October, 
1884). This fact has probably drawn special attention to the red codfish 
and has caused the recent prohibitory measure. 
The cases of indisposition caused by partaking of spoiled codfish re- 
semble in every particular those produced by using animal food which 
has undergone a certain degree of decomposition. We invariably find 
the same series of gastro intestinal, cholera like symptoms, accompanied 
by more or less clearly defined disturbances of the nervous system. It 
is generally agreed that these symptoms are caused by the formation 
in articles of food of a poisonous alkaloid. Brieger (1884-1885), who has 
* “Hygiene Experimental . Eote sur le rouge cle la Morue From Revue Sanitaire de 
Bordeaux et de la Province , April 25, 1S86. Translated by Herman Jacobson. 
