POISONOUS FISH. 41 



Beieger has tested dead and decomposed mussels taken 

 from the open sea for mytilotoxine, with negative results. 



Poisonous Oysters and Eels. — Pasquier reported 

 cases of poisoning at Havre from the eating of oysters 

 taken from an artificial bed which had been established 

 near the outlet of a drain from a public water-closet. 

 Christison says that an " unusual prevalence of colic, 

 diarrhoea, and cholera " at Dunkirk was believed to have 

 been traced to an importation of unwholesome oysters from 

 the Normandy coast. Vaughan and NovY obtained 

 tests for tyrotoxicon in the liquor of some decomposed 

 oysters which had caused illness in many people at a church 

 festival. 



ViREY states that many persons were attacked with 

 violent pain and diarrhoea a few hours after eating a pate 

 made of eels from a stagnant cattle-ditch near Orleans, 

 also that similar cases have occurred in various parts of 

 France, and that domestic animals have been killed by 

 eating the remains of the poisonous dish. 



Poisonous Fish. — While many species of fish are popu- 

 larly regarded as poisonous, but little scientific work has 

 been done in this line, and we are not prepared to say to 

 what extent this popular idea is correct. MiURA and 

 Takesaki find that the ripe ovaries of tetrodon rubripes 

 contain a substance which induces in rabbits acceleration 

 of the respiratory movements, paralysis of the skeletal 

 muscles, mydriasis, increased peristalsis of the intestines, 

 and arrest of the heart. 



The disease known as " kakke," which prevails from 

 May to October in Tokio is, according to Miura and 

 others, an intoxication due to the eating of fish, which be- 

 long to the SGombridcB. The affection is generally chronic 

 or subacute, seldom acute. The most characteristic symp- 

 tom is paralysis of the diaphragm with consequent dysp- 

 noea and disturbance of the action of the heart. Electri- 

 cal stimulation of the diaphragm has proven to be the 

 most successful treatment. 



