433 



Dr. Jacobs. Well, unfortunately, sometimes in smoked fish we have 

 had the problem of Clostridium botulinum poisoning because of the 

 way the fish were packed, and the growth of this organism which 

 produces a very potent toxin. It doesn't have to grow very much to 

 produce a toxm which will kill you. 



Mr. Pellt. Have tliere been any specific instances of this ? 



Dr. Jacobs. There were some a few years ago right here on the east 

 coast and a few other places around the comi'try. 



Mr. Pelly. We also had a scare about cranberries. 



Dr. Jacobs. The scare was due to some deaths in the case of Clostrid- 

 ium botulinum, which is a little more serious than it was with the 

 cranberries. 



Mr. Pelly. It would be interestmg to know whether there generally 

 is a lax situation m the country today, or whether these examples of 

 poisoning are isolated instances. Do you think the problem, if there be 

 one, is properly under control ? 



Dr. Jacobs. I think we have the smoked fish situation under control 

 now. To some extent it was due to methods of packaguig the fish, but 

 we also have to w^atch and see that plants are kept under very good 

 sanitaiy conditions because we have also had Clostridium in tuna 

 packing. 



Mr. Pelly. Who handles the inspection of imported fish and fish 

 products? 



Dr. Jacobs. Food and Drug would have responsibility for every- 

 thing, except some raw shellfish. We have a shellfish certification pro- 

 gram ui the PHS in which we review, at the expense of the foreign 

 government, the shellfish fisheries in Japan and Canada, and there are 

 other countries trying to get in on this. 



Mr. Pelly. I have one other question concerning pollution. The 

 American people are anxious — and rightfully so — that Congress do 

 something about both air and water pollution. I think that we have 

 commenced to take some action in this area. 



We recently passed out of the Merchant Marme and Fisheries Com- 

 mittee a bill to study our Nation's estuaries, including the pollution 

 problem in those areas. Is your Department engaged in this pollution 

 work in the area of fisheries ? 



Dr. Jacobs. We are engaged to some extent in assaying pollution. 

 With salmonella, for instance 



Mr. Pelly. That is a name which you should change. 



Dr. Jacobs. It is an unfortmiate name because it has nothing to do 

 with that delicious fish. It honors a great scientist named Salmon. 



Mr. Pelly. I wish you would change that name. 



Dr. Jacobs. It is too late to change it now. He is dead. 



Mr. Pelly. We could change the name of the disease. You are mak- 

 ing progress in that direction ? 



Dr. Jacobs. We are involved. As far as the study of the Chesapeake 

 Bay, for instance, is concerned, the Department of Defense, as you 

 know, is building a model. We are not directly concerned with it at 

 the moment, but we are in liaison with them about it and we hope 

 that we will be able to contribute as far as the pollution aspects are 

 concerned. 



Mr. Pelly. There certainly is a great need for control of pollution. 

 I come from the Pacific Northwest, where we are fortunate enough 



