490 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OP FISH AND FISHERIES. 



(12) It is iii)t a (liscasc, is not due to paiiiHiius, no discasf jrei^jns arc ])n!.s<'iit in tlie 

 colorcil tissues. 



(13) The dyt! is readiij dissolvoil out of the algao in the stomach into the blood, 

 from wlii 'h it is absorbed, of course, most readily by the most active tissues. 



(14) 'J'hat it has any connection with a cholera epidemic is absurd, although it is 

 probable that the climatic conditions which I'avor the growth of these low forms of 

 green vegetation are also favorable to the propagation of disease germs whenever 

 the latter may be lodged by Avinds in places having sufhcient moisture. 



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

 should be atlributed to any other cause rather 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 sunnnor are repeated. 



(17) Itisnalural that ])eople who do not know the cause of the unusual color 

 Bhould reject green clams, deeming them disease-causing. Such jiersoiis may be 

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

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

 superior, quality. 



Ill addition to being- published in the weekly newspaper at Tucker- 

 ton, j)reviousl3' alluded to, the foregoing report of Prof. Nelson's inves- 

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

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

 act, so far as jiossible, by disseminating proper Information regarding 

 the harmless character of the green coloration, the dnmaging 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 i)re- 

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

 the greater ditiicnlty of reversing an unfavorable popular sentiment 

 and eradicating an ingrained prejudice. The shipping season was, 

 however, practically closed early in December, on account of the 

 severity of the Aveather, and very little opportunity 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 algai and cleansed the bottom before the oysters and clams became 

 affected. 



ATLANTIC COUNTY. 



The oyster centers. — The principal localities in Atlantic County inter- 

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

 Mullica River, opposite New Gretna; Leeds Point, Ocean ville, Con- 

 overtown, Absecon, Brigantine, Atlantic City, Pleasantvilie, Smith 

 Landing, Linwood, 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. 



