1046 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [20] 



there are two stages, oue of irritation ami the other of paralysis, and 

 after a short and deceptive period of improvement the special symptoms 

 begin to show themselves — paralysis of the limbs, eyelids, etc.; symp- 

 toms which have never been known to follow the eating of spoiled cod- 

 fish." It is truly astonishing that the author, after making the above 

 statement, nevertheless arrives at the conclusion that there is a com- 

 plete etiological identity between the two cases. 



For our part we can not share this view; and we find a new proof of 

 the decided difference between the two poisonous substances by exam- 

 ining the different symptoms by which these two cases of poisoning are 

 followed. 



Poisoning by spoiled codfish, which we propose to designate by gadin- 

 ism, in order to distinguish it from other cases of poisoning of the same 

 kind, has only resulted in death in a single case (in St. Petersburg) 

 among 700 persons who had been poisoned. Bolutism, on the other 

 hand, very frequently causes the death of the victims, as will be seen 

 from the following facts from Mr. Netter's treatise already referred to : 



In 1799, on a farm in Suabia, 5 persons were taken sick from eating 

 spoiled meat-balls, and 4 of them died. In 1808, Jaeger observed 25 

 cases, in 11 of which death followed. In 1820, Kerner observed 7G 

 cases, of which 37 were fatal ; and in 1822, 155 cases, in 86 of which 

 death ocurred. 



The objection might be raised against these statistics that they are 

 of ancient date, of foreign origin, and that the study of these cases 

 doubtless left much to be desired. But the opinion which we have 

 advanced regarding the probability of the existence of different poison- 

 ous substances in decayed articles of food of animal origin is not merely 

 based on a comparison of the symptoms of bolutism described by Mr. 

 Netter and the symptoms observed in cases of poisoning by spoiled 

 codfish and on the different course of the illness following these two 

 kinds of poisoning ; it is also based on the comparative examination 

 of a certain number of more recent cases of poisoning by animal sub- 

 stances of the most varied character, in which the symptoms showed 

 essentially different characteristics. 



It is impossible to give in this place a detailed account of all these 

 cases without exceeding the limits allowed for this article. We shall 

 content ourselves to enumerate them and to indicate the sources from 

 which they have been taken, so that our readers, if they desire it, may 

 study these sources, and ascertain the truth of our assertions : 



(1) Cases of poisoning produced by the eating of mussels, communi- 

 cated by Dr. E. Monod at the session Society of Public Hygiene of 

 Bordeaux, December 5, 1SS3 (Revue sanitaire de Bordeaux, January 25, 

 1884). 



(2) Case of poisoning by eating Portuguese oysters during the mouth 

 of August, observed by Dr. Meran (Revue sanitaire de Bordeaux, Janu- 

 ary 25. 1884). 



