178 MARINE SCIENCE 
and March 5, 1961. The reference to the work of Dr. C. P. Li (U.S. Public 
Health Service) on abalone juice with antipoliomyelitis properties should be of 
considerable interest to virologists. 
Finally, I would like to point out one area in which a pharmaceutical product 
derived from a fish is playing a well established role in national defense. Studies 
on the physiology of the electric eel, first initiated in the laboratory of the New 
York Aquarium, led to the discovery that this fish contains large amounts of 
cholinesterase (or acetylcholinesterase), which is an enzyme vital to the trans- 
mission of nerve impulses. This enzyme is now being extracted and purified in 
quantity. With this and the electric eel as an experimental animal, it was 
possible for Dr. I. B. Wilson to synthesize an antidote for nerve gases called 
PAM. Although the electric eel is at present the primary and most available 
source of the enzyme, there are several marine fishes that could be also used as 
a source. The electric torpedoes, which contain large amounts of this enzyme, 
are widely distributed along our Atlantic and Pacific coasts and are available in 
large numbers. The work on the electric eel is being carried on by Dr. David 
Nachmansohn and his associates at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, 
Columbia University, New York City. 
I hope that these few remarks have been of interest to you and will prove so 
to the other members of your committee. 
Sincerely yours, 
Ross F. Niereti1, Director. 
COMMUNICATION FRoM Mr. WAYNE D. HEYDECKER, SECRETARY-TREASURER, 
ATLANTIC STATES MARINE FISHERIES Commission, Mount VERNON, N.Y. 
Marcu 16, 1961. 
SENATOR WARREN G. MAGNUSON, 
Chairman, Senate Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, 
The Capital, Washington, D.C. 
My Drar SENATOR Magnuson: Thank you for your courtesy in sending us 
two copies of your bill, S. 901. 
Our commission by resolution No. 11 adopted at its 19th annual meeting urged 
your committee to reintroduce last year’s bill S. 2692 'to advance the marine 
sciences by establishing a 10-year program of oceanographic research, surveys, 
and soforth. The resolution was as follows: 
11. Bill to Advance Marine Sciences and Oceanographic Research: 
“Whereas the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce—Hon. Warren 
G. Magnuson, chairman—reported favorably upon a bill (S. 2692) ‘to advance 
the marine sciences, estabiish a 10-year program of oceanographie research and 
surveys, promote commerce and navigation, secure the national defense, ex- 
pand ocean resources, authorize the construction of research and survey ships 
and facilities, assure systematic studies of effects of radioactive materials in 
marine environments, enhance the general welfare and for other purposes’ 
(Calendar No. 1588, Rept. No. 1525, June 7, 1960, 86th Cong., 2d Sess.) ; and 
“Whereas among its several values, the marine sciences research program out- 
lined in 8. 2692 would materially benefit the fisheries of the United States; 
be it hereby 
“Resolved, That the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, through 
the communication of copies of this resolution to the Committee on Interstate 
and Foreign Commerce, urge the committee to reintroduce the marine sciences 
act and urge the Senate and the Congress to pass the bill.” 
As we said last year the important thing is to agree on the objectives and 
concentrate on getting the program started. Our commission has taken no 
position on the details of your bill or on the bill by Representative Miller H.R. 
4276 introduced in the House February 13, 1961 which seeks the same objec- 
tives by a somewhat different approach. 
Nevertheless in conversation on the matter several points have arisen, which 
I believe it may be proper for me to mention to you unofiicially. 
There are some misgivings about the wisdom of the specific limitations in 
your bill, as to the amounts of money which may be expended in any one year 
for specific purposes. This may be desirable from the standpoint of the budget 
authorities and helpful in securing passage of the bill, but it might prove to be 
an unwise limitation as the program unfolds because it may be found from 
time to time that emphasis in greater measure should be placed on some phase 
