WINTER FOOD OF THE PARTRIDGE—SOMERS. 83 
then began to rise, increasing also in volume, being forty-five at 
six, p.m. Inereasing gradually from that time until seven, p. m., 
when it counted fifty-eight. The temperature of the surface 
began to increase with the pulse, and feeling now comparatively 
recovered from the effects of the poison. I got up and made an 
attempt to go to the supper table, but was immediately seized 
with giddiness, and fell on the floor in a state of insensibility, 
which lasted for a few seconds only, for as soon as I gained the 
recumbent position the condition passed off almost as speedily as 
it had occurred, and before assistance could be rendered I was 
able to help myself to the place I had previously occupied. I 
then remained in the incumbent position for over an hour, par- 
took of some tea. Was shortly after able to go down stairs to 
examine and prescribe medicine for a patient who called to con- 
sult me, and experienced no unpleasant sensation, except a feel- 
ing of languor, some trembling of the muscles, and chillness of 
the whole body. When I retired to be bed at eleven, p. m., the 
pulse registered sixty-eight. I slept well. It was not until 
twenty-four hours afterwards that the pulse resumed its normal 
beat, and it took three or four days for the system to recover 
its usual tone. 
Partridge poisoning in the human subject has been variously 
ascribed to idiosyneracy or individual susceptibility to poisonous 
properties developed by putrefaction or to intaking of food 
which inoccuous to the bird, yet causes its flesh to assume poison- 
ous properties. Taking my own experience as an example I 
think we can eliminate the two first causes assigned—the first, 
idiosyneracy, I can lay no claim to. The Partridge isa game bird 
for which I entertain a great partiality, and use it frequently 
when in season. I have eaten the flesh of the bird as freely 
since as before my poisoning without evil results. In fact up to 
that time one year ago I had come to believe I was proof against 
Partridge poisoning, and had some belief in the first theory of 
causation, knowing that the condition was not of infrequent 
occurrence in many persons who had eaten this bird. I partook 
of the black meat and the strong flavored internal parts of my 
partridge, or the parts that, owing to the presence there of absorb- 
ents and the thoracic duct, would contain matters passing from 
