70 
of viral concentrations, and that self-purification does occur but’ - 
occurs rather slowly. The most striking and disturbing point is 
that oysters that fully meet coliform standards may contain iso- 
latable quantities of virus which, under present procedures, would 
not be detected. 
Another piece of information about human pathogens in marine 
organisms has apparently received very little attention. Specific 
antibodies to bacteria that cause human pseudo-tuberculosis, para- 
typhoid fever, bacillary dysentery, and a variety of chronic 
infections have been obtained from the blood of white perch in 
estuarine waters. This suggests the possibility that these fish 
may become actively infected with human pathogens by exposure to 
contaminated water and may transmit these pathogens over consid- 
erable distances. ‘This work was limited to the detection of the 
antibody reaction and merely called attention to an extremely i 
important possibility which should be fully explored. It is obvi- 
ously important if fish were to be attracted to a waste disposal 
site and exposed to fresh sewage, sludge, or other sources of 
contamination. 
To better predict future effects we should document how spe- 
cific populations of marine organisms are now being affected by 
chronic levels of pollution. We have evidence of genetic changes 
and adaptations among some organisms from certain pesticides; there 
is increasingly strong association of deformities, cancer, and 
other diseases among marine organisms in polluted waters; we know 
that the presence of certain nutrients in excess can result in an 
increase in undesirable algae and, perhaps, some animals. Beyond 
this we can only speculate. Such speculation has already made 
headlines for some of the ''doomsday" ecologists. 
The need, then, is for research on the acute and chronic toxi- 
cological effects of pollutants on a broad spectrum of biological 
and ecological systems. Such studies must involve not only eco- 
logical and organ systems, but they must get down to the cellular 
level. 
At present, no Federal or academic institution is capable of 
undertaking such a comprehensive program. The clinical approach 
in HEW, while satisfactory for directly related human toxicolog- 
ical problems, does not begin to fill serious gaps in marine toxi- 
cology. In this area we have yet to address ourselves to the total 
effects of industrial and domestic pollution on plants and animals 
throughout the complex array of food chains. For example, not 
only do we lack knowledge of the precise chemical constituents of 
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