82 Thirtieth Annual Meeting 



THE STUDY OF FISH DISEASES. 



BY CIIAS. G. ATKINS. 



It ivS not luy })urp()se in this paper to present an exhaustive 

 discussion of the subject, nor even a general summary of the re- 

 sults of investigation in the field. I shall attempt the humbler 

 task of citing a few passages from my experience, perfaced by 

 some general observations which I trust may commend them- 

 selves to your approval. 



While for the complete elucidation of the nature of the dis- 

 eases of fishes, as well as those of the human race, we must call 

 to our assistance the professional microscopist and the profes- 

 sional pathologist, it is not at all necessary that the lay fish cul- 

 turist should lie on his oars while epidemics or diseases of more 

 limited scope sweep away his charges. It is quite within his 

 province to observe, to record, to experiment, and quite possible 

 thereby to learn very much about these diseases and the means of 

 their avoidance, control or cure. But it is quite essential that 

 any one attempting such studies should adopt the scientific 

 spirit, and the scientific spirit demands the exercise of great 

 earnestness, great alertness, great patience, great perseverance, 

 and above all great self-control. And wlu'u I say self-control, I 

 mean especially control of the o|)inion, restraining one's mind 

 from making itself up prematurely, — on insufficient data. To put 

 it in more popular language, one must not jump at conclusions. 



I may be pardoned for digressing here far enough to say that 

 in the course of a lifetime spent in this pursuit, I have often had 

 occasion to note tliat the bane of fish culture has been the disposi- 

 tion to jump at conclusions, it is a trait of human nature. 

 Hardly one of us is free from the foible, and hardly one of us 

 1)11 1 is sufii'riug today from the efi'ects of some mistaken conclu- 

 sion reached in the past by disregarding some pertinent facts 

 that, if not plainly in sight, might have been easily brought to 

 view by a little more of persistence in the search. Private fish 

 culture and public fish culture are sufi'ering from it today. 

 There has been too little of the scientific spirit. And science, I 



