Do not wash fish too much, as by so doing you lose some of the flavour. Some fish are cut open before being emptied; others have the insides drawn out. Be careful not to disfigure the fish. Clean it thoroughly, and see that no blood is left on the bone. If the fish feels slimy, rub it well with a little salt. Scales should be scraped off with a knife, scraping from the tail upwards, and the fish well rinsed afterwards. In cutting off the fins, cut from the tail upwards. In taking out the eyes, if the skin over them is tough, cut it first with a pair of scissors, and then the eye can easily be pulled out, or pushed out from the inside. Fish that have a strong muddy flavour should be soaked in salt and water before being cooked. Thorough cleansing of fish is essential to its wholesomeness.