490 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



(12) It is not a disease, is not due to parasites, no disease genus are present in the 

 colored tissues. 



(13) The dye is readily dissolved out of the algae in the stomach into the blood, 

 from which it is absorbed, of course, most readily by the most active tissues. 



(14) That it has any connection with a cholera epidemic is absurd, although it is 

 probable thiit the climatic conditions which favor the growth of these low forms of 

 green vegetation are also favorable to the propagation of disease germs wheue^■e^ 

 the latter may be lodged by winds in places having sufficient moisture. 



(15) If any case of sickness has followed the eating of green clams and oysters it 

 should be attributed to any other cause r;ither than to the harmless vegetable dye.. 



(16) The advent of wet weather will doubtless soon destroy this food of the clam, 

 and the " infection" will disappear as quickly as it came, not to return until the 

 rare and favorable conditions of last summer are repeated. 



(17) It is natural that people who do not know the cause of the unusual color 

 should reject green clams, deeming them disease-causing. Such persons may be 

 assured, not only on our authority but on that of every scientific investigator wlib 

 has studied the subject, that the clams are wholesome and of good, sometimes of 

 superior, quality. 



In addition to being published in tbe weekly newspaper at Tucker- 

 ton, previously alluded to, tbe foregoing report of Prof. Nelson's inves- 

 tigation was also printed in circular form to be distributed by tbe 

 oyster and clam shippers among their customers, in order to counter- 

 act, so far as possible, by disseminating proper information regarding 

 the harmless character of the green coloration, the damaging effect 

 which it had produced upon the markets. Efforts in that direction 

 were naturally confronted by many obstacles. There was not only 

 the difficulty of reaching consumers over a sufficiently wide area, and 

 convincing them by a presentation of scientific facts that their pre- 

 conceptions relative to the subject were ill-founded, but there was also 

 the greater difficulty of reversing an unfavorable popular sentiment 

 and eradicating an ingrained prejudice. The shipping season was, 

 however, practical!}^ closed early in December, on account of the 

 severity of the weather, and very little opi^ortunity was afforded for 

 testing the effectiveness of the movement. 



The greenness continued throughout the entire winter and spring, 

 and did not wholly disappear until the middle of the following May. 

 During the summer of 1893, conditions obtained in the bay similar to 

 those which were present in 1892, indicating a recurrence of the 

 viridity: but this was averted by a heavy storm-tide which disturbed 

 the algsB and cleansed the bottom before the oysters and clams became 

 affected. 



ATLANTIC COUNTY. 



The oyster centers. — The x)rincipal localities in Atlantic County inter- 

 ested in the oyster fishery are Port Eepublic, on the south side of the 

 Mullica Eiver, opposite New Gretna; Leeds Point, Oceanville, Con- 

 overtown, Absecon, Brigantine, Atlantic City, Pleasantville, Smith 

 Landing, Liuwood, Steelmanville, Sea View, Somers Point, and Scull- 

 ville. From Leeds Point to Smith Landing, inclusive, however, is 

 the region where the greater part of the business is conducted. 



