Studies on the toxic substances contained in marine animals

Abstract

Consumptions of Neptunea Arthritlca, a gastropod distributed in the northern sea, have cansed-many poisoning in Hokkaido. The splitting headache, dizziness, bad feeling as seasick, vomiting and others were recorded as the symptoms of intoxication. Although this shellfish has been consumed widely, the poison has not yet been studied. In this paper, the author substantiated the fact that this poison exists only in salivary gland and not in other organs. Judging from the behaviour of mice and cats applied with this poison, it seems to belong to a poison of paralytic form (nerve poison). Removal of the salivary glands before the consumption or canning of this shellfish, would be desirable to prevent the co nsurners from poisoning.