PRESERVATION OF FISHERY PRODUCTS FOR FOOD. 
421 
of which a fan or vacuum chamber may be used, and the mechanism may be operated by steam or 
other power. When the evaporated fresh fish meat has been placed in the evaporating pan, steam is 
applied to the heating coils or steam jacket, and the revolving blades are immediately set in motion, 
the operation or effect of which is within a few minutes to dissolve the fish meat into a jelly-like mass, 
in which condition, when kept in motion, it soon loses all its free moisture, rapidly disintegrates, and 
becomes dry or solidified fresh fish fibril, having much the appearance of fine broken vermicelli. 
Under thi.s method the fish fibril separates and entirely frees itself from the minute or smaller bones, 
so that they may readily be removed. The fresh fish fibril should be kept in rapid motion until suffi- 
ciently dry to remove from the pan (which is determined by its failure longer to throw off vapor), 
when it should be spread upon cooling screens or muslin until cold, when it may be packed in tin, 
wood, or jiaper boxes for keeping or for transportation. Under this process the time required is from 
thirty to forty minutes, and the temperature must be kejjt below the cooking point, so as to prevent 
coagulation of the fish gelatine, and the product, or fresh fish fibril, will, in proportion by weight, be 
as 1 pound to 10 pounds of live fish, and 5 pounds of prepared fresh fish meat. The greatest possible 
celerity should be had and care taken that the prepared fresh fish meat is entirely fresh, pure, and 
without taint. Fresh fish put up after evaporating its free moisture and being fibrilized in the 
manner described retains its entire nutriment and flavor, is free from all foreign and injurious sub- 
stances, contains no salt, has no affinity for moisture, and will keep in any climate for a long time. 
A plant was establislied at Gloucester, Mass., in 1881, for the preparation of Alden’s 
specialty, but it did not compete successfully with the boneless codtish, then being 
prepared in such large quantities at that port. 
By a proc.ess designed in 1879 by Mr. J. M. Reid,* of Canada, fish previously brine- 
salted are placed in a tight receiver and subjected for a time to compressed heated 
air for the purpose of extracting the moisture. 
Another method that promised success was put in operation at Gloucester in tlie 
spring of 1883, it being the invention of Halifax iiarties. t Two apartments were fitted 
ui) with flakes, the floors being partly open to allow the air to circulate. By means 
of piston blowers, or of fans operated by steam power, the external air was drawn in 
from one side of the building and forced over the fish and out on the other side, when 
the atmosphere was in suitable condition for drying. But when it was loaded wdth 
moisture both the inlet and outlet conneeding the I’oom with the outside air were 
closed and communication opened with a cooling room overhead, the temperature of 
which was lowered by cakes of ice, and the air contained in the drying and cooling- 
rooms was forced over the fish, thence through the cooling room, and back again over 
the fish and so on, continually keeping the fish cool. The inventor claimed that the 
fish were brighter and contained less dirt and dust than those dried on flakes, but the 
expense of the process was considerable and consequently it was soon abandoned. 
Ill 1890 Mr. Cathcart Thompson, of Halifax, brought to notice a process by which 
he claimed that codfish can be dried by absorbent pads, thereby obviating the dangers 
and delays of the present method. This process was originally as follows: 
A layer of green-salted fish is spread evenly on an absorbing pad. Common gniinj^ cloth makes a 
good, cheap, and effective one. Another pad is laid over this, succeeded by another layer of fish, followed 
again by a pad, and so on successively until the whole quantity of fish is spread, a pad being placed 
over the last layer. A platform of boards is then laid on this, and weights or other apiiliances are 
used to cause a slight, continuous, and uniform pressure. The pile is allowed to remain from 24 to 48 
hours, during which time the pads become saturated with moisture, which they have extracted from 
the fish. Repiling then takes place, dry pads being substituted for the wet ones, the latter being 
dried for further use. Repiling with the substitution of dry pads is continued till the fish have 
become sufficiently dry, a week or ten days being long enough to effect this object if intended for the 
home or West Indian market. For more distant markets a somewhat longer period would be required. 
* Letters Patent No. 221357. 
t See I.etters Patent No. 2.j0382, dated December 6, 1881. 
