Fish and Petrol

That coal is the compressed and carbonized remains of prehistoric vegetation is known to everyone. Dr. John M. Macfarlane, Professor Emeritus of Botany at the University of Pennsylvania, believes that petroleum is the product of buried beds of organic matter derived from fish. He traces the origin of petroleum to volcanic disturbances which in early geological times upheaved the water and land surface of the earth and killed immense quantities of fish. Extensive zones of fish remains have been found throughout the northern hemisphere in the same rocks with rich bituminous oil deposits. Sometimes oil migrates long distances through porous sandstone and similar rocks. Crude petroleum Dr. Macfarlane has shown to be wholly animal in origin. Seismic disturbances, particularly near the sea, often develop new deposits of dead fish for the production of oil.

Dr. Macfarlane draws two conclusions :

1.) There is no danger of the exhaustion of the world's supply of oil.

2.) Knowledge of the origin and location of fish deposit beds will enable man to discover new oil sources and to produce oil for commercial use more cheaply.

Dr. Macfarlane is a Scotchman, 68 years old, educated in Edinburgh. He was Professor of Botany at Pennsylvania from 1893 to 1919 and stands high in his specialty. He has been studying the relation of fish to petroleum for 50 years. Scientists familiar with his work attest its authenticity.