The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-12-28
VENOMOUS FISHES.
They are Found In Tropical Seas, and
Their Poison May BE Fatal.

Their Poison May BE Fatal.
There are several species of fish
which possess a poison like that of
snakes and have been known to
cause the death of man.
Their poison serves the double
purpose OF causing the death of their
enemies and preserving their own
existence through the hesitation of
other fish to touch them. The fish
so armed are, as rule, conspicuous
BY form and color, and their special
organ of defense consists of spines
which to them are what the tooth
is to serpents. These spines may be
simply q modification of existing
processes, such as prolongation of
the rays of q fin, or may be a special
spine attached to some part of its
body. These spines have poison
gland in connection with them.
Two fish which are both very poi
sonous are found commonly on the
shores of the Mediterranean. These
fish are the sea dragon, trachinis
draoo, having as members of the
same family trachinis vipera and
trachinis areneus, and the scorp@na
scropha, which has as correlatives
in different parts of the world scor-
pana porous, scorp9na truslutata,
scorpana diabolus, etc. These fish
are only poisonous as a serpent is
poisonous-i. e., by wounding. Their
flesh is good and wholesome. Though
they differ widely in appearance,
yet the poison produces the same ef-
feet.
The trachinis draco is handsome
fish, striated with blue and brown,
and not unlike a trout in general
appearance. Upon each of its gill
covers there is situated the spine in
connection with the special gland.
This spine is grooved and slightly
erectile and is attached partly to the
jaw and partly to the undersurface
of the gill cover. 1t passes through
the gill cover, where it shows as q
sharp point, the length varying with
the size of the fish. The spine is GOV.
cred with a very fine membrane al
most to its free extremity, and this
membrane converts the grooves or
the spine into little canals, which
open near the extremity of the spine
near the point. At the base of thi:
spine, upon the upper surface, lie!
the poison gland, under the gill GOV
T and partly covered by the adduc
tor muscle of the gill cover, which
helps to compress the gland, forcing
the fluid into the canals and at th'
same time erect the spine. When tn,
spine enters another fish or animal
Its membrane is stripped back, ant
the poison enters at once into tn
wound
The seorpana scropha is an unat
tractive looking fish, squat of body
large of head, red in color, havin
many protuberances on its skin an
hns of an exaggerated character
The fins are peculiar also in that tn
rays project beyond the membrane
Men, when bathing, are some
times stung by these fish, but NOR
often in handling them whe
caught. At the moment of punctur
only the sharp prick is felt at th
place of contact with the spine.
few minutes, however, the p
; commences to burn and itch, an
then becomes aoutely painful, wit
sudden stabbing pains. These pair
increase in violence and shoot frol
the foot, passing up the leg in ligh
ning darts. which force the persc
TO lie down and writhe. Then a fee
Ing of suffocation is felt and pa.
over the heart.-St. Louis Post-Di
patch.
all kinds of legal Driufinc done