GAUARONGA, THE GREAT CHIEF 191 



Contained in the box were two whole dates with 

 stones in them respectively. 



Two halves of dates with no stone in them. 



One date which had no stone inside it. 



The dates were in a dried condition. 



I have carefully examined these dates for the pre- 

 sence of poison. 



I find no mineral poison present, and none of the 

 common poisonous alkaloids or common vegetable 

 poisons are present. 



I have performed physiological experiments with the 

 dates. 



Fifteen grains of a piece of date were given to a 

 healthy mouse as food ; this caused illness, followed by 

 collapse and death in thirty-six hours. The symptoms 

 were. not characteristic of any of the common vegetable 

 poisons with which I am familiar. 



The dates were also tested as regards their action on 

 the heart, and I found that the poison present had a 

 marked slowing action on the frog's heart. 



The conclusion I have formed is that the dates con- 

 tain some poison ; but it is possible that this poison 

 may have been produced by some natural change due 

 to decomposition occurring in the dates from some fer- 

 mentative process. 



I cannot say that any poison has been intentionally 

 added to the dates. 



W. H. WiLLCOX, M.D., F.RC.P. (London), 



Senior Scientific Analyst to the Home Office. 



St Mary's Hospital, 



London, W., Nov. 21/11. 



