The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-11-01

u
several violent cases Of cholera that rccesty
in death The oyster is generally considered luxury
and though it may be deemed an extravagaat luxury
in some countries the statistics of the trade In this
city show that plurality Of millions in dollars is an
nually spent In its fishery and Importation with an
equal or greater amount in the profit and the prepare
tion for retail its general use as
an article OF diet by very large number Of persons
The deaths raceable to the oyster said to be few
number though distinctly marked by sudden and violent
attacks subjects in robust health as well as on those
previously enfeebed by diarrha and kindred disease
OF the bowels The symptoms said to evince poison
in the stomach introduced by the oyster or in some
way generated by the oyster before or after 1t was
eaten The charge varies little from different sources
but the whole it is sufficiently explicit and Of ample
Importance, to justify the most careful investigation
In the wide field Of known science there Is amentabe
deficiency in all that relates to life and health Certain
articles Of food in certain quantities known to
tain life in healthy condition. while the articles
in larger quantities. the same quantities at other
times, with perhaps change in atmosphere, win cause
disease and DEATH not always violent though at times
marked with symptoms peculiar to the action Of known
posons HOLSTERS and crabs articles of food well
known at different times and in different quantities to
be both wholesome and virulent poisons; not chemi
cally defined poison, not poison that chemistry
reach or explain but poison nevertheless that
violent attack and speedy DEATH May not posons be
wholesome food A paradox in aliopathy; and
though seemingly untrue, the highest authority
Omitted States Dspensatory gives arsenic, corrosive
subiimate and other yirulent poisons, as indis-
maintaining health. Large doses Of arsenic are con-
coded to be unwholesome irrtant posons, and are,
ed as wholesome and beneficial May not lobster crab
oyster turtle soup, and roast turkey be claes
nutritious and beneficial in small doses, at suitable
hours and times The ultimate analysis would show to
the chemist in each Of those articles nitrogen carbon
with traces perhaps Of bromine, iodine and phosphate
Of lmenothng more-no poison in either case and yet
many have felt the poisonous effects Of each and
all those articles in large doses Suffering from dyspepsia
for than twenty years, have from prudent ne
cessty particularly observed the poisonous effect of all
those substances on our system and during that pero
than half an ounce Of lobst as % or s moss
six spoonsful Of turtle soup, one dozen small
continue TO be almost daily article Of our food with
no perceptble change in the effect always preferrng
them raw, never eating after six O'Clock r NJ; and
from past experience should expect as a matter Of
course, that one dozen fried at ten NJ supper would
nightmare cholera wind collie or some similar
attack OF the stomach, before sunrise the fol-
Chemically, the oyster is the same whether poor or
fat fresh or stale, SO long is not tainted but
der the microscope we great changes occurring In
few hours after removing the she'll and before there is
any indication of faint or decomposition. Having pro-
on %
evenings the past week In microscopical exami.
nations Of the several kinds, at different hours
mate faint The observations, without anording any
facts that directly eucdate the question of wholesome
poisonous food may lead to reflection conjecture and
hypothesis the question of quantity small or large
being at all times both wholesome and poisonous For
the information Of those who may desire to observe
were made with Chevallier microscope the objects
placed sheet of thin mica about half the thickness
lamp The upper or aat shell only Was removed lea v
ing the shell to hold the oyster and retain as
far as possible the aqueous matter that always
panes the healthy OYSTER each shell may be labelled
and dozen specimens placed dinner plate to retain
the overflow leaking water Of organization commnged
in one mass and aording some Of the most ntcresfnc
microscopic views. The fourth one-sxh part Of
drop is the most convenient quantity Transferred
from the oyster 10 the mica the point Of penknife it
or 0ne-eighh part OF an inch, aording free pas
sage for the Light and preventing the escape of ami
mai ON which the sight is directed, to great depth be-
yond the focus of vision.
Immediately opening the oyster all the aqueous
matter surrounding contained in the cellular tissue is
seen to swarm with animal fe-the predominating va
re.y has oval FORM slobose atitndnal line dividing
II into half black and half peucd. Again it assumes
turning longndinay with back side the observer
These apparently contradictory phases be rcconccd
an sSs with half the shell and
the egg proper is pellucd, and the half shell
opaque, It must appear in one view half pei
of the shell towards the eye, light will pass
through the centre, while the outer edges constantly
uprrGaehns the line Of vertical wall almost in the line
the form of circular disk This change phase Is
frequent that doubngly ask, Is the dark part the
top the bottom the sides The motion rather quick
though seldom than five six of its diameter
in one direction when 1t suddenly turns to pursue
dcul to nd straight line Of more than ave Diameter
drought the organic Each drop of aqueous mat
ter contains about four hundred thousand Of this species
ur<1d ads al vista rtosv.s
this matter, and allowing the to contain the same
number Of drops distilled water 3eo As to the fluid
lions Of this species biting one OYSTER Their
of locomoon cannot be seen with Chevaer's highest
power; though some facts seem to show that their
gans are either half Or one diameter long. Two
and sometimes three apparently cnched together at
about diameter distant wrestling and revolving In
every direction with motion and appearance Of the chain
shot II suppose the organs ciinched to an adverse
~ body then they must be diameter long; but If
in the form Of hooks hands sraped to each halfway
This species In numbers and size have not mate
rally changed in twentyfour ortyeght hours They
Of alcohol the same amount Of acetic acid, while
quantity equal to their bulk to kill them. They
are also killed BY small quantity of ammonia.
appear in the mass pelucid and about twenty dame
tiers long, with lively and brisk motion. Also class,
be form Of an in 80.
similar to the dock rat seeking food This species at
forty EIGHT hours has doubled IN size and without See
idea Of hungry rats fighting fragments of food One
fourth part of drop spread and allowed dry the
edges. will drive three four hundred Of Them filing
the whole field of vson into the deep water In the CEN
ire where, with hurried notion jostng against each
other, they seem frantic with desire to escape.
The most formidable sight is at the end Of thrtysix
hours, when species resembling the fossil trobite in
form, dark coored, with two large black eyes the eye
alone Is large three Of the Hrst described animals
The motion Ia slow and easy the body flexible and bend
ing to its One Of this species in length filed
the entire field Of vision, the breadth about three
fourths filed he was aground in the deepest water by
fringe Of complicated organs around the mouth,
which resembles that Of the devil fish, he keeps up
rapid current into his mouth and thence the gs
and passing down both sies the number Of insects
involved In the current at time less than fifty
thousand. He resisted small quantities Of acetc acid,
decocon OF boneset and alcohol but gave over to dose
OF ammonia.
At the end Of fortyeisht hours there appears to-
lerably numerous tribe resembling the inverted part of
corkserew, not flexible like the eel but moving quick
ly by revolving in the character of species
in all respects similar in form and locomoton, though
about half the sire have years ago observed in water
where agae have died and decomposed for ten twelve