The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-24

A further inquiry into the late case of
poisoning In Williamsburg leaves no doubt
that II was caused BY eating bluefsh. This
fact naturally suggests very unpleasant feel
Ing, in view of the enormous quantity of this
fish consumed weekly in such city as New
York between May and October The impos-
sibility of ascertaining whether the fish in
question was caught with poisoned bait or had
had the noxious substance introduced by
other means is unfortunate, since on a mat
ter of food poison scare Is az diff
cult to arrest as stampeded mule.
Yet let Gotham take comfort in the fact
that the salesman who vended the fish declares
that no one else has complained of anything.
Notwithstanding this sweet assurance it is
something that deserves extended inquiry; for
the possibility Of even one fish in a million
being through vile practice made dangerous
to human life must, if possible, be guarded
against. That the poisonous coculus indicus
is occasionally used in the capture of certain
fresh water fish seems certain, and that boys
have the name of the substance pat on
their tongues, under the synonym Of
fish corn" shows how much more
widely spread this nefarious practice is than
would be imagined. That any respectable
druggist would knowingly sell strong poison
for such purpose passes comprehension yet,
If there is ready sale for such an article,
there are, doubtless, unprincipled scoundrels
enough in the world to avail themselves Of
the opportunity of profting by the exchange.
We are willing to admit that no such Thuggism
obtains among the wholesale fish merchants,
for it would certainly be found out, and,
once discovered, would ruin the business of
the guilty wretch-a consideration which would
certainly weigh more with him than any moral
misgivings. The danger lies, perhaps, more
with the smaller fry of fishermen, who may
find the ''fish corn" answer its purpose and
yet be ignorant of the peril in which they
place those who eat of their harvest of the
seas. No such excuse can be offered for those
who sell the drug, since the trade name
for the article would convince the
most stupid clerk that ever doled out
arsenic for sal soda of the object to which the
PoiSOu was iuteuueU W De dppileu. IL poison
be used to stupefy the fish it must first be
absorbed, and it follows logically that who
ever eats a portion Of that fish takes certain
amount of poison into his system. That this
may not be in sufficient quantity to produce
any violent symptoms does not remove the
danger; for many poisons are cumulative, and
the consolation that there is but ever 80 little
present does not make it the less danger
Gus. We do not think there is any
necessity for the public to give up all pisca-
torial pabulum, but still less are we willing
that so important an item in our food supply
should be within the reach of villanous vita
ton. If the laws guarding the sale of poisons
are not stringent or far reaching enough to
touch this reprehensible practice let something
be enacted to meet the case. The knave who
sells should be as vigorously punished as the
ignoramus who buys. Both are public ene-
mies-enemies on par with the barbarians
who poisoned wells and should be similarly
treated when caught.