28 American Fisheries Society 



3. Many of the parasites found in mammals will de- 

 velop in man. Only one species occurring in fish is known 

 to develop in man. 



4. Ordinary cooking kills these parasites. 



5. Flesh which contains helminth parasites must not 

 be confused with flesh in which insect larvae are devel- 

 ing, or which is "spoiled." 



6. The flesh of food fish, especially of marine food 

 fish, is exceptionally free from nematode parasites. 



7. There has not been and there is not now any 

 rational justification for the wholesale condemnation of 

 any species of food fish on account of animal parasites. 



8. The influence of the departments of health might 

 well be directed towards encouraging the public to use 

 such wholesome food material as the mussel, Mytilus 

 edulis, and certain of the sharks and rays, now not much 

 used for food in this country ; assuredly they should not 

 without certain knowledge use their power in such a 

 way as to banish wholesome food from the market. 



Naturally I should be most loath to criticize the action 

 of any health officials, knowing how thankless is the task 

 they have to perform in their efforts to care for the 

 public health, and how their every act exposes them to 

 criticism from some quarter or another. 



But, as is evidenced in the action of the New York 

 Department of Health in the matter of the butterfish, 

 there may arise occasions wherein the interests of the 

 public demand that the facts in the case be made known. 



