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March 11, 2009
'A fish rots from the head down' — Fact or fiction?
This isn't about the origin of the phrase, whose appearance in English traces back to the 1674 publication, "An Account of the Voyage to New England."
Rather, it's an enquiry into the truth of the oft-used adage, which appears in one form or another in over 30 languages worldwide.
It seems to me that a fish would rot from the gut outward rather than from the head down.
I mean, aren't the intestines full of bacteria poised, after death, to begin their activities unopposed by the now-defunct immune system?
Perhaps Anahad O'Connor will take up the topic in his most informative and entertaining "Really?" column in the New York Times Science section.
March 11, 2009 at 12:01 PM | Permalink
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Comments
Now if your fish died by hook then you could say it was the brain end that took the bait - hence the fish would figuratively rot from the head down.
And, if you have your fish gutted then it will just get evenly stinky...but thats not a very catchy phrase for corporate analysis.
How about ´The nonplussed fish swims from tail up.´
Posted by: gina | Mar 11, 2009 6:01:36 PM
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