| Puffer fish are a part of the family Tetraodontidae. | | | | prepared dishes. The ingestion of properly prepared |
| There are 19 genera and 121 individual species of | | | | puffer fish will result in a light-headed feeling of |
| puffer fish in this genus. Puffers flourish in the tropical | | | | intoxication and a numbness of the lips and tongue. |
| regions of the world. Their numbers decrease | | | | When improperly prepared; deadening of the lips and |
| substantially in temperate zones and are nonexistent | | | | tongue, dizziness and vomiting will soon overcome |
| in colder water regions. This species is prevalent in | | | | the euphoric effects. These are the initial symptoms |
| open water as well as the semi-enclosed estuaries of | | | | of puffer fish poisoning. Progressive symptoms are; a |
| bays and sounds and the brackish water areas of | | | | prickling sensation all over the body, an increase in |
| river tidal mouths. Puffers are typically small to | | | | heart rate, a decrease in blood pressure and muscle |
| medium sized fish. However there are species that | | | | paralysis. Death most commonly results from |
| can grow up to almost 40 inches in length. | | | | suffocation due to the paralysis of the diaphragm. |
| Puffer fish derived their names from the highly elastic | | | | Most victims of puffer poisoning die within 24 hours. |
| qualities of their stomach linings. They have the ability | | | | There have been cases or puffer poisoning induced |
| to rapidly inflate their stomach with water until they | | | | comas that lasted several days. Coma patients often |
| are almost completely spherical in shape. This purely | | | | awake to report that they were fully conscious and |
| defensive mechanism serves the dual purpose of | | | | remember everything that was said and done during |
| making them harder to swallow and giving their | | | | the course of their paralysis. Patients who survive |
| would-be predators a reason to take pause and | | | | the first 24 hours without lapsing into a coma usually |
| question the size of the prey they have chosen to | | | | make a full recovery. The common treatments for |
| hunt. Puffers will frequently inflate their stomachs | | | | puffer poisoning are stomach pumping and activated |
| with air when they are suddenly lifted up out of the | | | | charcoal filtration of the blood. Little else can be done |
| water. They often experience difficulty expelling this | | | | with current technological levels. |
| foreign substance form their stomachs. A | | | | Because of their toxic qualities puffer fish have been |
| knowledgeable aquarist will hold the fish by its tail | | | | harvested for centuries by Voodoo practitioners. |
| with its head pointed upwards. The fish is then gently | | | | Pharmaceutical companies are researching the |
| shaken until the water escapes from its mouth. | | | | toxicological effect of these fish for the |
| Various species of puffer fish are known by the | | | | advancement of modern medicine. The first of these |
| names puffer, blowfish, bubblefish, balloonfish, | | | | drugs to be releases is Tectin derived from |
| globefish, swellfish, as well as toadfish, toadies, honey | | | | tetrodotoxin. When administered in small doses this |
| toads, and sea squabs. The later references refer to | | | | potent medication relieves the chronic pain |
| their course almost sandpaper-like spines. | | | | experienced by many cancer patients. Studies are |
| Puffer fish are the second most poisonous | | | | also being conducted on the use of tetrodotoxin |
| vertebrates in the world in relation to human | | | | based medication to help in the treatment of opiate |
| consumption. They are preceded only by the Golden | | | | withdrawals. |
| Poison Frog. Despite the inherent danger, puffer fish | | | | The scientific name, Tetraodontidae, refers to the |
| are considered exotic delicacies in both Japan and | | | | four large teeth characteristic to every member of |
| Korea. In Japan puffer flesh is known as fugu, and in | | | | this family. Two teeth are fused in the upper and |
| Korea, bok. Specially trained chefs are charged with | | | | two in the lower plates of these fishes' jaw bones. In |
| the responsibility of rendering this fish's toxins | | | | their natural habitat they are used for crushing |
| harmless for their expecting guests. It should be | | | | mollusks and crustaceans. Extreme caution should be |
| noted that the toxins found in puffer fish are not | | | | exercised in the handling of these fish; not just form |
| nearly as toxic to many marine species as they are | | | | potential bite wounds but also from the possibility of |
| to humans. | | | | toxin seeping into the open wound. |
| Puffer fish poisoning is usually the result of improperly | | | | |