Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1903-12-30
ANCIENT FISH CURES
MEDICINAL VIRTUES THAT USED TO
DECK THE FiNNY TRIBE.

Perch Was Valued In Germany For
Its Curative Properties, and Carp
Was Held In High Esteem In Old
Englnnd-The Physician OF Fishes.
Fishing literature prior to the days
and writings Of IZaak Walton opens
up points OF interest which are unique.
Not the least interesting are the con-
slant references Of the early writer's to
the medicinal virtues of fish. OF course
many Of the salt and fresh water hsh-
es mentioned by the old writer's are
not recognized in the waters Of today.
but the fresh water perch. carp, tench
and eel are yet recognized, and it is in
connection with these fish that some
Of the quaintest ideas as to their me
dicinat virtues have prevailed.
The Germans have comparative
proverb which, says, More wholesome
than q perch of the Rhine" aud it is
certain that from the earliest times
this familiar fish has been esteemed as
one OF the best gaStronomic produc-
tons of fresh water. 1t has also been
ascribed medicinal virtues. Gesner SAYS
that physicians value tue perch so
much that they recommend it to be
freely eaten by wounded men. women
In childbed and those suffering from
dangerous fevers. Aldrovandus praises
Il and mentions that the two otooliths
Ground bones'') found in the head Of
the perch are marvelously good for
stone in the bladder.
That the carp was esteemed in olden
times in England Is certain. Dame
Berners. writing her quaint Urea
tysee of Eysshynge Wytl an Angle"
published in lI96. says. "The carpe be
a dcyntous fish. but there ben few in
Rnglonge" Being "deyntous"-i. e..
.dainty"-it must have been good fish
at that time to eat. 1t has certainly
lost Its character since then.
In the art Of healing the carp plays
respectable part. One old writer speaks
of the fat Of the carp us being of nil
rsculous power for the alienation OF
''hot rheumatism" The manner of its
application was by frequent rubbing
on the painful part. and the effect was
said to be eminently modifying and
salutary. The triangular bones in the
throat Of the carp on being ground to
powder and applied to 4 wound or
bleeding nose were said to act MS styp-
tic. The gall was also said to have
been used for sore eyes. and above
the eyes," says an old Esculapius.
1.-TWO little bones exist. senicircular>in
shape, which are diligently preserved
by noble females against the lunatiC;
disease"
In the Haven of Health" carp are
also comprised in 'the ten sortes of
fische which are reckoned as principal
I'm the preservation of health and.
adds the quasnt eold w tier, 7 his fish
value. and its tongue is very pleasant
to carping Indies"
Askind OF first cousin Of the carp is
what Is kLown as the barbel. Such
ancients as Juvenal. Albertus and 9th.
ers Of that Tx evidence that it was
known anu esteemed by the Roman
gourmet. plutarch mentions curious
fact In its natural history. DR.. Bad
ham In his Prose Halentics" trans
lates this passage as follows: "rhe roe
Of the barbel is very poisonous. Anto'
nio Guzius took two boiuSes and thus
describes his sensations: AT first felt
no inconvenience, but some hours hav-
ing elapsed began to be disagreeably
affected. and as my stomach swelled
and could not be brought down by
anise and curlninatives I WAS soon in
state of great depression and distress
It appears that lis countenance was
pallid. like man in swoon. Deadly
coldness ensued. and violent cholera
ard vomiting came on. The barbel
(Barbus vulgarisl of today has survived
such poisonous qualities. Its flesh has
the taste Of stewcd white blotting pa
per, and its roe is as innocuous as
bread pills.
All the same. good Julyana Berners
shared the bad opinion of the earlier
writers. She says: THE barbyll is a
swete fish, but it is quashy mete
and perylous for mannys bodye. For
comynly he ynyth an introduction to
ye feJris (feyer). and if ye be eten
rave he may cause of mannys dethe
whycb hath often beene seene."
The tench which has teen introduced
into some parts of this country is an
olive greenish carp which has been for
long time termed in England the "phy-
sician Of fishes" According to score
or more Of authorities. ancient and
modern, the thick slime with which it
Is covered cxertS healing effect on all
wounds or diseases in which 1t can
come In contact on. or III other fishes.
Whence this belief originated is not
known. but one instance Of exact OBJ
servation is we'll worthy Of credence.
Mr.. Wright in his book on "Fishes and
Fishing" tells how minnow acciden-
tally hooked in the water Of an aqua
rum In which it was swimming. on
three parts Of the way down the wa
ter and swiftly approached its nose to
the side of tine tench which was its
companion in the aquarium. 1t rub
bed Its nose for q few seconds against
the tench and then again swan about
as lively as before. To this testimo-
ny Mr.. Wright adds: 1--WE (my friend
and who were watching the perform
ance; were both Of the opinion that 1t
Is really no fable as to the tench being
the lEscuInpius of fishes. for here was
nm example before our eyes of fish
being wounded and Immediately in
stinct directing it to seek remedy"
One piscatorial truth is known to all
who fish for pike or pickerel. The pike
(esoxluciusl, will ravenously seize as
his prey the fry Of almost every fish,
Including his own species. and all the
bait minnows are also caviare to him,