J2(j THE CHEMICAL EXAJIIXATIOX OF IIACKOZAIIIA SPIRALIS, 



Macrozamiu. — All the species of this are reputed poisonous plants, and the 

 lecords of their harmful nature extend from the earliest days of the colonies. 

 Governor Phillip, in 1789, gave an account of M. spiruUs having formed pai't of 

 the diet of the Port Jackson aborigines, and of its having caused La Perouse's 

 sailors to become very ill with vomiting and diarrhoea after eating the nuts or 

 kernels of the seeds (16) . 



In Grey's Journal of his two Expeditions in 1837 we have a detailed account 

 of the use of the seeds by the natives, of the careful treatment in order to remove 

 the poisonous constituent, and of the evil effects produced by eating these seeds 

 without this preparation . Grey found M. Frazeri on the Gairdner Range and 

 Mount Horner. Several of his men ate the nuts and were taken violently ill 

 with vomiting, vertigo and other distressing ailments, but all recovered next day 

 (3). This "By-yu"' nut of the natives he describes as a violent emetic and 

 cathartic. The natives soak it in water, bury it in the earth till the pulp is 

 dry, then roast it for food (2) . 



Mr. J. H. Maiden records the poisoning of tiu-ee boys at Springsure in 

 Queensland through eating the nuts of Macrozamia Perowskiama (16) . 



Baron von Mueller was quite convinced that all the eycadaceous plants are 

 pervaded b\- a virulent poison principle, which becomes inert or is expelled by 

 heat (6). 



Moore, in describing the methods of the aborigines in jireparing the starch for 

 food, says that in the fresh state the seeds are dangerously acrid (8) . 



Macrozamia spiralis was first examined chemically by Xorrie (a Sydney 

 pharmacist). His report was published, in Dr. Milford's paper (5), which was 

 read before the Royal Society of New South Wales in 1876. Norrie stated (a) 

 that the kernels of the seeds contained much starch and gluten; the soluble por- 

 tion had an acid reaction, and lime water precipitated calcium oxalate; (h) that 

 he had isolated potassium binoxalate which he stated was the poisonous substance 

 in these nuts: and (c) that he had also observed microscopic crystals of an alkaloid 

 in small quantity. He believed that when the nuts were heated by the natives 

 the potassium binoxalate would be converted into carbonate, and thus rendered 

 innocuous. Dr. Milford, in his paper, described the effects on human beings 

 after eating the nuts, viz., the severe suffering like sea-sickness, diarrhoea, and 

 cramps in the abdomen. 



On the other hand. Dr. Bancroft stated in a Government report that the 

 kernels contained no poison, and that extracts of the nuts produced no delet^^rions 

 effect when injected into frog's and guinea-pigs. He observed that when fowls 

 r.nd ducks were fed at one time with a large quantity of the kernels death fre- 

 quently ensued after 1 or 2 days from gastro-enteritis, caused by the indigesti- 

 bility of the material. He stated that all parts of the plant are indigestible (9) . 



Mr. F. Turner, in 1893, described the poiscmous properties of the two species 

 M. Miqu-elii and M. spiralis, and the methods of the aborigines in preparing the 

 starch for food (11). 



In 1894, Govt. '\''et. Surgeon Edwards, of Western Australia, wrote a report 

 describing his experiments on feeding cattle with Macrozamia, and the disease 

 produced Imown as rickets or "wobbles." This is the most detailed account we 

 have. He says the disease has been known since 180,5, and is peculiar to Zamia 

 districts. It is characterised by partial jiaralysis of the hind limbs, the diminished 

 muscular power giving rise to a wobbling gait. The symptoms occurred after a 



