Question: Bob, I take it from the last statement of your presentation that fin 
rot disease does not go hand in hand with these liver tissue carcinomas. 
R. Murchelano: No, it does not. If you asked me to tell you how many winter 
flounder had fin rot, how many had tumors, and how mariy shared the two phenomena, I 
could not tell you. I have not even looked at the size distribution of the fish with tumors 
except roughly within the size ranges that I have collected. I have been totally involved 
determining the identity of the lesion, and that has been affected by consultation with 
people who know. 
C. Sinderman: I wondered if you had started the long-term experiments that 
lead to the induction of these lesions? 
R. Murchelano: No. 
C. Sinderman: Is that a part of the plan? 
R. Murchelano: I can plan all kinds of things, but I can not effect them. I 
have a long list of plans. 
C. Sindermann: It would seem quite important to get it going. 
R. Murchelano: One of the things that is of considerable interest is the 
stomach contents of this animal. As was mentioned this morning, in every collection I 
have made, the stomachs contain only polychaetes. We have bounced a benthic grab off 
the bottom several times, but did not obtain any worms. I would like to have the 
polychaetes analyzed for various organic contaminants. If anyone knows anything about 
the histology of the worms, someone ought to look at them for lesions. The worms 
certainly are a preferred food of Boston Harbor winter flounder. 
Dr. Brown: Thank you very much. 
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