The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-10
COD LIVER O|L HAS
 BEEN VERY SCARCE Consul Bordewich Writes of the
 Business in Norway PRICES HAVE INCREASED
Experiments Have Been Tried for Making OH on Board Ship in Fish ing Fleet, In the Open Sea,
 But Failed.

Washington, January s.-In view of the scarcity of pure cod liver oil in the worlds markets. United States Consul Bordewich has written an interesting ar ticie to the department of commerce on the subject. Mir. Bordewch says:
 Pure cod liver oil has for some time been a scarce article in the worlds mar ketss owing largely to the many admix- lures and adulteratons used by unscru- pulous and careless manufacturers.
 The best Norwegian oil Is extracted from the fat lvers of the cod in the early part of the winter fisheries In the Lofoten Islands. The flyers at this time, in Jan uary, February, and a part of March are. as a rule, light colored, plump, and very rich in oil, which is extracted, after careful sorting of the flyers, with simple machinery, by steam. The product is as clear as crystal, nearly tasteless, and without smell.
 The islands present many advantages over other places for the production of strictly pure oil. The shoals of fish seek the shore for spawning purposes and the banks are so near land that the boats sometimes land two catches in one day; consequently, the flyers are, except when stormy weather interferes, received fresh at the factories daily. The average an- nual catch of cod in the islands is 30,00O,- 900. Unlike other districts in the country, the cod at this time of the year Is about the only kind of fish caught, so there Is less opportunity for mixing the livers fTf.rra <.rxA r.ffs such as coal fish pollock, ling. haddock, rusk, and others oil from these contain less fat, the color of the oil Is darker, and Its medicinal properties are of less value. oil from these and other inferior fish may be bleached by exposure to the sun In glass coverings and by various chemical processes.
 Couldn't Make oil on Ships.
 Experiments have been made in this country for manufacturing cod liver oil on board ships located among the fishing fleet in the open sea, but it has been found that the ships motion had a detri- mental effect on the oil thus produced. Establishments on shore. in places where unmixed cod flyers can be obtained fresh every day are found to be the best. The llvers have to be carefully cleaned and only those of the right color selected for medicinal oil
 The year 1903 was an exceptional one as regards the Norwegian winter cod fish cries In ordinary years the shoals of fish arrive in the beginning of January, but this year no fish whatever appeared before the middle or first part of March, and they were then found to be in such poor condition that only very insignif- cant quantity of oil was produced-only 5000 barrels against 3000O barrels in or dinary years. The quality of the 1903 out put was also as rule, poor. It Is esti- mated that in ordinary years the livers of 4,500 cod are required to produce a bar rel of thirty gallons, or 100 kilograms. of medicinal oil, while 10000 livers were re- quired the present year Q903 to produce the same quantity.
 Prices for the best quality of medicinal oil f. o. b. Christiania nave for the last three years been as follows: In 1901. 5e kroner ylO per barrel; 1902. 13O kroner C$34S0) per barrel; 1908, 400 kroner (s1O7.20), per barrel-all in wood-covered tin barrels of thirty gallons, price including barrel.
 Competition Is Difficult.
 The most reliable manufacturers of the product in Norway complain of being un- able to compete In prices with other man. ufacturers, who are said to be less scru- pulous in the production of the goods. The medicinal oil bought from here ought to pass from the factory In Norway to the importer in America. bottled and in
 
 oil was made only from Norwegian cod livers.
 Cod liver oil can be properly tested as to purity by chemical analysis only. Where large quantities of oil of inferior grade are added. 1t can be detected by perienced people without any scientific test simply by the difference In taste and color If the admixture consists of an oil of fish nearly related to the genuine arr ticle, 1t will. of course, make the ascer- tainment of It's presence more difficult than if oil of an altogether different kind is added. Coal fish oil is the nearest thing to pure cod liver oil, and is therefore the one mostly used as an admixture. If chemicals are used, their presence Is easily detected by a scientific test.
 Greenland Seals Appear.
 Considerable apprehension is felt that the conditions ruling the Lofoten fisheries in 1908 will also make themselves felt in 1904 According to recent newspaper re- ports the Greenland seal has again ap peared in great numbers in the bays of Finmarken. Before 1903 these animals were never found near the Norwegian coasts in numbers, but that year they came in large shoals as early as Janu- ary and the fishermen believe, contrary to the views of scientific people. that they were the cause of keeping the cod so long away from its customary spawning places.
 It Is generally believed that the Norwe- xiar winter cod is the very same species of nsh as appears and is caught on the banks of Newfoundland. bat It is differ ent from the common cod caught at all seasons of the year. The first small ahoais of winter cod arrive the latter part of December on the banks along the coast as Tar south as Bergen; the larger shoals arrive later The Lofoten fisheries termi nate the latter part of April and the fish gradually work farther north and last ap- near in great numbers on the banks at rinnarken as late as June, after which time they disappear till next season.
 Heart Action Photographed. -s <x. rtor~~ov -, n the New York Hera.d