SCORPMNA 



239 



The symptoms of an attack may be described thus:— 

 A sharp prick is felt as the spine enters the skin, and this is 

 followed in a few minutes by burning and itching, which shortly 

 become stabbing pains, increasing in violence and passing up the 

 limb. The sufferer now lies down and writhes and cries in agony, 

 while sweat breaks out on his brow, and flashes of light pass in 

 front of his eyes. He begins to feel a sensation of suffocation, and 

 puts his hand to his throat and heart, while the pulse is felt to be 

 intermittent. Presently he loses sight of the bystanders, and in a 

 little becomes delirious, crying out and suffering from couA^uisions. 

 This condition may lead to collapse and death, or, after lasting 

 several hours, may gradually subside; but the convalescence is 

 slow, and the patient may take several months to recover. 



Fig T,o.'~'Scoyp(^na diabolus Cuvier and Valenciennrs. 

 (From Savtschenko's ' Atlas of Poisonous Fish.') 



The local conditions show at first merely the prick of the pine, 

 but the aperture may be pigmented by the covering membrane 

 already alluded to. The puncture does not bleed, but the skin 

 around for about J inch is whiter than usual, and outside this red- 

 ness appears, but soon all the surrounding skin is red, turning as 

 time passes darker and darker, till it becomes black and oedematous. 

 The prick now discharges fluid. In a day or so the affected area 

 sloughs and separates, leaving a deep wound. Sometimes a spread- 

 ing gangrene ensues, which necessitates amputation. In milder 

 cases the part remains painful and swollen for about three days 

 before recovery. 



Pterois antennata. — The poison apparatus is connected with the 

 dorsal fin, and is said to resemble that of the Scorpaenidae. 



Pelor filamento sum. —In this fish the poison apparatus is con- 

 nected with the dorsal fin, and resembles that of Pterois and Scor- 

 pana. With regard to Pelor japonicum Cu. and Val., Scheube says 

 that he knew of a case in which a sting on the thumb resulted in 



