The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-01-02
THE FISH SURGEON.
OPERATIONS WHicI Hs ps2fopms
UPON HIS PAT,sMrS.

81
Inc FISH doctor. Ike the rc:xlar c.,c
tor' gives medicine. performs srr..:co,
operations ard s,rpcr!ntends his. n..
''ehtS oiet and environment. these
"re the principal operations which hc
performs: Trimming the fsh's toiI with
.'sh S"rarS when fungous growtbs oh.
urge Ii; stripping the fish TO remove
ne 'S&S on milt that have no; been
naturally deposited; excisiny with tho
ai:ce trmors, lacerated scales md
SnIlntcrS or bone.
among the medicines that the fish
'oc'or gives arc castor oil for swelling
liie swimming bladder and nux vom.
ca 10; debility and emaciatfon. This
p'c.|hst Also prcsidcs oyer the food
'hc fish. inspects their food tro,rphs
nc: ouSh!y and makes microscopic OK.
lhlnationS Of their water to sre thut n
contains tie proper life giving elements
IN the!r due proportions. Regarding
.hese matters, which are MS important
10 hcalthy as to sick fish, the lending
ash doctor Of Philadelphia reccntry
said:
~ food trough Of enameled vare
that Will not rust should be used fcr
hsh. At the same time each day their
oatmeal should be put in this trough.
"hich should always be kept in the
same place, and as n CONSEQUENCES NJ
,hlS treatment the fish will gather
around their trough at mea!tinc, which
'"cE VIII instinctively recognize, as
"r'ydiiy as hogs, burying their noses
N INC FOOD when 1t is set before them
ana crowding and pushing one another
Ill healthy, ravenous and horIihe
Manner. The trough should be cleaned
once day lest it get sour, but the wa.
tcl' OF the fish should rarely be chanapd.
even when it becomes foul smelling IL
should oAly be changed graduaIly-a
quart Cay. say-ror 10 change 1t al
III once has the effect Of terrible OK.
i'oSurc-is' indeed. the same as II you
'h"H!a snatch child from its warm
Dcu and lay it naked ont of doors in tho
'":i night wind and SNOW"
it Is not the detention of fish from
their native element that makes 6sb
surgery difficult, for they can he kent
'ut or the water for five. six and soy.
IN minutes without the slightest harm
20 thcm. and there is no operation tbat
''V"lrtS Il longer space of time. But
"'ht makes 1t difficult is the dlsincli.
milton OF the flesh to heal after II hns
'SGh c"t. wound to heal reuurcs to
}" dry. Nothing is more uclrtcriOus to
than any sort Of moisture. and hence
li2f 4 f,.liSy les. of n, fish wnnnh l,,thn,l
simple and slight.
One of them is the trimming Of taffs
to unwicldincss by growfhs
IF fungus. In this work sharp shears.
With blades oddly curvcd-hsh shears
are employed. The fish Is lifted from
INC -,,-stea., and held head downward
while its tail is being trimmed. a dsH-
terous operator gets through the work
in two or three minutes. There S -
flow of blood and no gaping wophd
that will not heal; hence tail trimming
Is in nine cases out of ten successful
1t must be rcSortcd to often with Jnpa
Nncsc goldfish. for these costly and
graceful creatures, with their rcscm-
blancc to strange golden flowers. have
tails bigger than their bodies. and when
their tails. as frequently happens, be-
como affected with fungus, they arc an.
able to swim well. and sometimes m,
deed they drown. y fish 'drV,vfas"
when. floating with IT'S hc1sd
out Of the water, it dies from asphyNfa-
ton.
The knife is used on fish to remove
tumors or lacerated scales or Splintpred
bones, which, uneXcised. would caVse
the fish's death. ,Lnceratfons Of the
scales are only treated when they nre
so severe that the fish without trrht-
ment would surely die. This operation
is successful in about 20 per cent Of the
cases. The remaining 80 per cent die
because their wounds do not heal.
Stripping is an operation resorted ts
when. in the breeding season, the rish,
through some malady or other, docs
not deposit naturally it's eggs or It's
mlt. The patient in this operatlo Is
held with the left hand while with the
right firm pressure Is exerted along
its sides from the breast down to the
tail. Stripping is the least dangerous
of all the operations in fish surgery.
Admirable results are obtained by
dosing fish with medicines. Castor oil.
for swelling of the swimming bladder,
is remedy that seldom fails. A fish's
dose of castor oil is one drop, diluted
slightly. The liquid may be admins
tered either with spoon or with q
quill toothpick. The process I'm each
case Is similar. The fish is held In an
erect position, It's head well up. and the
drippings from the toothpfck or tho
contents of the spoon are directed into
It's mouth. Sometimes they fiow forth
again through the gills, and in this
event the dose must be repeated.
A swollen swimming bladder is n
frequent and dangerous aiiment Of