MARINE TOXINS AND VENOMOUS AND POISONOUS MARINE ANDIALS
329
2-24 h, and few cases are serious enough to bring the victim to the
doctor. If the victim goes to sleep immediately following the poisoning
he may have violent nightmares. This complaint accounts for the
term " nightmare weke " being given to the causative fish U. arge.
Reports of similar intoxications have been noted by Smith (1950) and
Van Pel (1969).
B . Ichthyootoxic jishes
A number of fresh-water fishes and a few marine species produce
a toxin which appears to be restricted to their gonads. In these fishes
the body musculature and even the gastrointestinal organs are edible.
Poisoning occurs following ingestion of the roe, or gonads and roe
(Autenrieth, 1833 ; Knox, 1888 ; Coutibre, 1899 ; Pawlowsky, 1927 ;
Hubbs and Wick, 1961 ; Halstead, 1964). The eggs of Scorpaenichthys
marmoratus Girard appear to be avoided by fish-eating and scavenging birds, as well as by mink and racoon (Pillsbury, 1957).
The poisoning is characterized by the rapid onset of nausea, vomiting
and epigastric distress. Diarrhea, dryness in the mouth, thrist, tinnitus
and malaise sometimes occur. I n the more severe cases, syncopy,
respiratory distress, chest pain, convulsions and coma may ensue.
Complete recovery usually occurs within a few days.
C. Ichthyohemotoxic $shes
A toxic substance has been found in the blood of many species of
fishes, although the principal contributions to our knowledge of the
toxin have come to us through studies on the bloods of the eels Anguilla
and Muraena. Poisonings from the ingestion of fresh blood are extremely rare. The few cases reported have occurred in persons who
of their own volition have drunk quantities sufficient to cause symptoms; most of these have occurred following the ingestion of blood
from the European fresh-water eels, or Muraena helena. In these cases
there is some nausea, vomiting, epigastric distress, increased salivation,
urticaria and generalized weakness. Parasthesia about the mouth,
respiratory distress, paralysis and death have been reported. If eel
blood is permitted to stand in contact with mucous membranes for
10-20 min, a severe inflammatory reaction may develop (Autenrieth,
1833 ; Pennavaria, 1888 ; Mosso, 1889 ; Springfield, 1889 ; SteindorfF,
1914).
The several earlier works on the chemistry and physiopharmacology
of eel sera have been reviewed by Courville et al. (1958), and by Ghiretti
and Rocca (1963), and the reader is referred to these papers for a more
detailed consideration. The latter authors fractionated eel serum as
329
2-24 h, and few cases are serious enough to bring the victim to the
doctor. If the victim goes to sleep immediately following the poisoning
he may have violent nightmares. This complaint accounts for the
term " nightmare weke " being given to the causative fish U. arge.
Reports of similar intoxications have been noted by Smith (1950) and
Van Pel (1969).
B . Ichthyootoxic jishes
A number of fresh-water fishes and a few marine species produce
a toxin which appears to be restricted to their gonads. In these fishes
the body musculature and even the gastrointestinal organs are edible.
Poisoning occurs following ingestion of the roe, or gonads and roe
(Autenrieth, 1833 ; Knox, 1888 ; Coutibre, 1899 ; Pawlowsky, 1927 ;
Hubbs and Wick, 1961 ; Halstead, 1964). The eggs of Scorpaenichthys
marmoratus Girard appear to be avoided by fish-eating and scavenging birds, as well as by mink and racoon (Pillsbury, 1957).
The poisoning is characterized by the rapid onset of nausea, vomiting
and epigastric distress. Diarrhea, dryness in the mouth, thrist, tinnitus
and malaise sometimes occur. I n the more severe cases, syncopy,
respiratory distress, chest pain, convulsions and coma may ensue.
Complete recovery usually occurs within a few days.
C. Ichthyohemotoxic $shes
A toxic substance has been found in the blood of many species of
fishes, although the principal contributions to our knowledge of the
toxin have come to us through studies on the bloods of the eels Anguilla
and Muraena. Poisonings from the ingestion of fresh blood are extremely rare. The few cases reported have occurred in persons who
of their own volition have drunk quantities sufficient to cause symptoms; most of these have occurred following the ingestion of blood
from the European fresh-water eels, or Muraena helena. In these cases
there is some nausea, vomiting, epigastric distress, increased salivation,
urticaria and generalized weakness. Parasthesia about the mouth,
respiratory distress, paralysis and death have been reported. If eel
blood is permitted to stand in contact with mucous membranes for
10-20 min, a severe inflammatory reaction may develop (Autenrieth,
1833 ; Pennavaria, 1888 ; Mosso, 1889 ; Springfield, 1889 ; SteindorfF,
1914).
The several earlier works on the chemistry and physiopharmacology
of eel sera have been reviewed by Courville et al. (1958), and by Ghiretti
and Rocca (1963), and the reader is referred to these papers for a more
detailed consideration. The latter authors fractionated eel serum as