JFage 12J Section 4 Relation of Freshness to Toxicity 



The author while in Japan had heard of cases of fish poisoning and 

 had wondered wliether, in view of the high temperatures prevailing in the 

 South Seas and the insufficient refrigeration facilities available there, 

 they might net be due to putrefaction. For this reason it was deemed neces- 

 sary to begin by clarifying the relationship between putrefaction and 

 toxicity« Six species generally considered poisonous were chosen and 

 tested by being fed to mce after having been left for some time at atmos- 

 pheric temperature. The results were as follows: 



T. Species - dokxihiraajl, Garanx melampygus Cuvier & Valenciennes, 

 Time caught - August 25 at 0900 



(1) 10 hrs. 15 min. at 28° c 



TTuscle tissue softened, pH 6.1. Blood (0,6-0.3 gr), 

 liver (0.6-O.Ogr), ovary (lo 5-0,0 gr), and muscle (l.2-0.0gr) 

 were each fed to 10 mice, a total of 40 animals (body 

 weight 15 gr). In no case was there any observable effect. 



(2) 15 hrs. Omin 



Muscle tissue softened, no odor of putrefaction, pH 6,3, 

 One cat was fed 44 gr of cooked muscle tissue, and another 

 was given 52.5 gr of raw flesh (body weight of cats about 

 1.5 kg ). The cat which ate the raw flesh showed no ill 

 effects. The cat which ate the cooked flesh regurgitated 

 almost all of it but showed no other ill effects, 



(3) 19 hrs. 30 min. at 27° C 



'Tuscle tissue softened, slight odor of putrefaction, 

 pH 6.2. T'uscle tissue (2.0-0.6 gr) was fed to ten micoo 

 No ill effects observed. The viscera stank badly and the 

 mice would not eat them. 



II. Species - kitsunekuchibi ( Lethrinus miniatus Schneider ) 

 Time caught - August 25 at 0900 



(1) Tested at 1108 



Muscle tissues in rigor wortis. pH 6,2, Blood 

 (0.5 gr, 0.4 gr, 0.4 gr, 0.3 gr, one did not eat), 

 gall (0.6 gr, 0.6 gr, 0.5 gr, 0.5 gr, 0.4 gr, 0.4 gr, 

 [slcQ , liver (0.4 gr, 0.4 gr, 0.3 '^r, 0.1 gr, one did not 

 eat), ovary (1.2 gr, 1.0 gr, 0.5 gr, 0.4 gr, 0.2 gr), and 

 muscle tissue (2.5, 2.4, 2.1, one did not eat) were each 

 fed to five mice with no ill effects noted. 



(2) 15 hrs. at 28° C 



jPage 13] Tftiscles softened. No putrefactive odor, pH 6.4. 



One cat was fed 37.2 gr of raw flesh and another was fed 

 54.1 gr of cooked flesh (body weight of cats 1.5 kg). 

 The raw flesh caused no 111 effects, the cooked flesh was 

 all regurgitated but caused no other ill effects. 



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