POISONOUS EFFECT OF THE LIVEB OF A DIODON. 213 



Ou tlie Poisonous Effect of a small portion of the Liver of a 

 Diodon inhabiting the Seas of Southern Africa. 



[Read June 7th, I860.] 



The fatal consequences of eating certain Toad-fishes have long 

 been locally knowai, and are mentioned in general terms in ichthyo- 

 logical works ; but well-authenticated and precise statements of 

 the facts are so rare, that I hope the Society will allow the accom- 

 panying documents to be entered iu their ' Proceedings.' 



These cases have been briefly noticed in a treatise on ichthyo- 

 logy published in the last edition of the ' Encyclopaedia Britan- 

 nica ;' but it is desirable that the whole evidence should be placed 

 on record. 



The Toad-fish of the Cape is a Diodon, though Dr. Jameson, 

 not being a practical ichthyologist, has suggested other names. 



John Eichaedson. 



London, 11th May, 1860. 



Extract of a Letter from Mr. H. Jameson, Surgeon, M.JST., H.M. 

 Ship Winchester, Simon''s Bay, Ca/pe of Good Hope, dated \st 

 Oct., 1845. Addressed to Sir Wm. Burnett, F.B.S., Director- 

 General of the Naval Medical Department. 



" I beg leave to submit an account of the cases, with the post 

 mortem examination, and a translation from the German of the 

 symptoms, as furnished me by the surgeon of the brig, observed in 

 two men belonging to the Dutch brig of war ' Postilion,' who were 

 rapidly killed by eating the liver of a poisonous fish, known at the 

 Cape by the name of the Toad- or Bladder-fish. I have preserved 

 specimens of the fish. 



" Since this occurrence I have made inquiries among several 

 intelligent people here, from which I find that several fatal acci- 

 dents have formerly occurred from the same cause, and that 

 animals, more especially pigs, who pick up these fish when cast on 

 shore by the surf, are frequently poisoned by them." 



" H.M. Sliip ' Winchester,' Simon's Bay, 

 10th September, 1815. 



"About 12'' 40" P.M. on the 4th of September, my assistance 

 was requested on boai-d the Dutch brig of war ' Postilion,' on 

 account of two men (the boatswain's mate and purser's steward), 



