91 



THE VENOM OF THE FISH, NOTESTHES ROBUST A. 



By Leighton Kesteven, M.R.C.S., Eng., &c. 



(Communicated hy A. R. McCulloch.) 



That the Bullrout is a very awkward customer to handle, is an 

 undisputed fact, but the virulence, or otherwise, of the wounds 

 inflicted by the spines about its head, is a " questio vexata " on 

 which the best known authorities differ. 



As during some years' residence on the northern rivers of New 

 South Wales, I was frequently brought into contact with cases 

 of " sting " from this fish, I can speak with professional experi- 

 ence of the symptoms presenting on such wounds. 



Tenison-Woods(l), in his description of the Bullrout, gives 

 a fairly accurate account of the ordinary symptoms met with, 

 and I can confirm his statements, with one exception, viz., that 

 the pain disappears at sunset. Though I am not prepared to say 

 that it never does, I have not found it the usual condition. I 

 have seen several cases where the agony remained unabated for 

 twenty-four hours or more, only to be relieved by morphia or 

 other analgesic drug. 



Ogilby(2) summarily dismisses the ^dea of the spines of the 

 Bullrout being toxophorous, without sufficient justification, as ray 

 experience teaches me exactly to the contrary. 



The symptoms are in no way confined to the mere pain and 

 discomfort of an ordinary cut or scratch, or the irritation arising 

 therefrom. There are very marked and distinct symptoms of the 

 direct effect of venom. 



The first of these to manifest itself is the rapid appearance of 

 an erythematous blush, which spreads around the wound for some 

 distance, in a manner not noticeable in ordinary incised wounds; 

 the pain is out of all proportion to the very insignificant nature 

 of the injury; it radiates in an altogether abnormal manner, com- 



