ARS | Publication request: THE FIRST CENTURY OF FISH HEALTH IN THE UNITED STATES (1797 TO 1897)

Submitted to: International Aquatic Animal Health Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: August 30, 1998
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Starting with the 1797 Benjamin Henry Latrobe description of a crustacean from the mouth of an alewife (Alosa psuedoharengus), caught in the York River in Virginia, 78 researchers and fisheries workers published more than 180 fish health papers on parasites, fungi, feral fish kills, hatchery diseases, diagnostic efforts, disease treatments, and stressors affecting fish health through 1897. During this period two researchers, Joseph Leidy, a physician and naturalist working with the Philadelphia Academy of Natural History and Edwin Linton, a zoologist with the Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, PA, collectively wrote about one-forth (45) of the fish health papers published in the 100 year period. Prior to 1870 most of the interest was focused on parasites infesting fish, often with little concern about the host species. Following 1870 interest in the health of the host species was given considerable attention by early fish culturists, most notably Livingston Stone (U. S. Fish Commission) and the first effort (1884) in diagnostic fish pathology (including histopatholology and bacteriology) was initiated by Stephen Alfred Forbes, a biologist from Champaign, Illinois.