FEATS OF FISH SURGEONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 133, 3 July 1909, Page 3

FEATS OF FISH SURGEONS.

Fish surgery is by no means an unbroken record of failures. On the contrary, and despite its' attendant difficulties, some notable successes have been scored. Perhaps the most daring piece of work that has been performed at the New York Aquarium was the removal of a fungoid growth from one of the fins-of a five-foot shark, while the most difficult was the grafting of skin upon an eel. That the latter proved a slippery patient the reader will readily conjecture. Indeed, the holding of pis'cinc patients while they arc being operated upon is a serious problem, which must be solved by means of specially-made boses, soft wrappings, and the like contrivances.

I The most frequent successful operations are performed upon fishes whom | air bladders fail to eilect their proper i functions. The chief, cause of such defects is the too rapid removal of a fish from the watpr lo the air, as when it W captured or removed from one tank to another. It is brought quickly to the surface with its mouth open. Its air bladder is charged to a greater or less' oxtenC with water, which enables it to maintain its specific gravity in deep water. But the suddenness with which the fish is jerked out of its natural element prevents it from correctly adjust- i nig the quantities of air and water in the 'bladder, and congestion results. When returned, to its tank the 'Wretched creature is unable to sink or rise at will, and is washed about by the movements of the water in a helpless condition.

It has been found that fishes injured I in this way may often be cured 'by a I little -..gentle massage. The operator I grasps, the fish firmly with the left hand . by tluj tail, drawing it carefully out of the water up an inclined hoard reaching intio the tank, but allowing the head and shoulders' to remain submerged. Massajro is then commenced towards the gills, and generally, after a fuw, miimte|s' action of the hand) the air is forced |out of the bladder. Massage chocs not always prove successful! in relieving the trouble, how ever, a>l more drastic measures have to be resorted to. In the ease of a deepsea bass which had lost complete control ofj its air bladder and lay wallowing o;n the surface, quite unable to swim., it was recognised that a remedy must imincdifilcly be found if the fish were to he sared. The bass was taken from the water and a surgeon's needle inserted just,behind the pectoral fin iuto the air bladder. The ,air was t.hiu libera'-! and the patient was again able to i. ■• trol itself perfectly. A few days ia hospital tank healed the slight pi:: ture ami effected a complete- cur' Exchange.