PLANE 99 



Some time ago Lord Walsingham attributed a 

 serious attack of bronchial catarrh and pneumonia in 

 a member of his family to the minute spicules of the 

 fruit of the Plane tree found in the air of an avenue 

 near Cannes. His further observations tended to 

 confirm his view that coughs, colds, inflamed eyes 

 and throat troubles are most prevalent where these 

 trees abound. Lord Walsingham 's warning seems 

 supported by Dr. Henry of Cambridge, who has 

 found these irritant spicules swarming in the air near 

 Plane trees at Kew and in Berkeley Square. So far 

 back as 1873 Dr. Durvell drew the attention of the 

 authorities in Alsace to the pernicious character of the 

 Plane tree. 



It has long been suspected that the Plane tree 

 causes throat and lung troubles, and the notes by 

 Dr. Walsingham, Dr. Henry, and others still further 

 heighten the suspicion. Several instances have come 

 under my own notice of throat troubles being attri- 

 buted to the presence of the Plane tree ; and a 

 notable case in which one of the occupants of an official 

 residence at a well-known public building in the 

 West Central district of London had to leave her 

 abode owing, it was thought, to the presence of a large 

 Plane tree near the house, has been substantiated, 

 and the evil done away with by the removal of the tree. 

 When the lady occupied the residence she was troubled 

 with throat irritation, which immediately ceased on 

 her going into the country. The medical adviser 

 suggested that the removal of a large Plane tree 

 which grew close to the house might be beneficial, 

 particularly as many spicules from the seed and leaves 

 were caught on gelatine plates that had been placed 

 on the bedroom windows. With the removal of the 



