Results of Toxic ological Examinations 



Fifteen out of U6 extracts of raw muscle elicited some response 

 in mice o Two of these samples killed all 3 mice in the series o Twelve 

 of the 16 gonad extract samples also elicited a reaction in mice, while 2 

 of these samples killed all 3 of the mice used in the series. From the 16 

 samples in which both gonad and muscle were examined, the following re- 

 actions were obtained (Table 7)s 



1. In 5 samples, both muscle and gonad extract elicited a 



response,, 

 2o In 7 samples only the gonad extract elicited a response 

 3<> In 1 sample only the muscle extract elicited a responses 

 h° In 3 samples neither the gonad nor the muscle extract 



elicited a response » 



In all instances where a fatal response was obtained by intra- 

 peritoneal injection of the saline extract of the raw sample, there resulted 

 either no response or a non- lethal response from injection of the heated 

 saline extract,, Furthermore, no response was obtained as a result of feeding 

 mice the raw tissue <> 



Various types of reactions resulted from the injection of the 

 saline extracts „ A positive response was characterized by the following 

 general reactions? On injection the mouse would arch its back and would 

 show symptoms of cramps in the abdomens often this was the only response 

 and lasted for only a few minutes „ There followed rapid, shallow breathing 

 usually associated with this initial react ion Q These symptoms would dis- 

 appear in g to 3 hours % however, those animals showing severe reaction 

 eventually died In the instances where death occurred, it occurred 5 to 

 10 hours after the injection,, 



In view of the fact that none of the raw tissue from which the 

 saline extracts were made caused deaths on feeding, the fatal reactions 

 cannot be attributed to toxicity of the raw muscle or gonad « A possible 

 explanation for the responses is that the blood and sera of certain species 

 of fish is known to be toxic to most laboratory animals on parenteral 

 administration o For an excellent review of this phenomenon, the reader is 

 referred to Phisalix (1922) or Calmette (1908)„ 



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