THE POISONOUS PLANTS OF BOMBAY. 53 



crystalline raphides being insoluble in water ; the residue possessing 

 no acridity would point to the fact that the acicular raphides under the 

 action of heat so change their form as not to be very sharply pointed 

 and capable of entering the mucous surface of the mouth, tongue, and 

 throat, and in consequence become inert. This remark of Professor 

 Christison's is very important, inasmuch as we find that, if pieces of 

 the tuber of Suran are eaten after boiling them well, they may at 

 times be rendered free from severe poisonous effects, even although 

 there may be a slight irritation of the throat, mouth, or tongue. Some 

 persons may not feel this at all. Professor Christison quotes an 

 observation made by Beinsch, which, although it refers to Arum macu- 

 latum 7 may well be applied to Suran, viz., that, though the powder 

 of the root may not be acrid to taste, it yet produces severe burning 

 of the throat not long after swallowing it. Woodman and Tidy say 

 that, in addition to the symptoms just mentioned, Arum maculatum is 

 known to produce dilated pupils, insensibility, and coma. They refer 

 to a case recorded by Dr. Stube {Lancet, 13th April, 1872), in which 

 a man took a leaf to get rid of tapeworms. He suffered ' ; from 

 immediate pain and pricking sensation in the mouth downwards ; 

 the tongue became swollen, and there was salivation and vomiting." 

 Profuse salivation has been noted by Dr. Dymock as occurring in 

 a congener — Synantlierias Sylvatica^ Schott (vide Pharm. Ind., 

 vol. Ill, p. 547). The case mentioned by Dr. Frayer (Br. Med. Joum., 

 22nd January, 1861,) is even more characteristic, as there was a 

 spasmodic action of all the muscles of the body, bloody froth at the 

 mouth, dilatation of the pupils, very feeble action of the heart, and rigid 

 closure of the jaw. These severe symptoms have never been known 

 in the case of Suran, although it is quite possible they might develop, 

 the nature of the irritant being identical. In another case, recorded by 

 Dr. Frayer, of poisoning by Arum maculatum, there was burning pain 

 in the mouth and lips, torpor in three hours, followed by complete 

 prostration in six hours, with delirium, asphyxia and death in nine 

 hours (Warden and Pedler). In a case recorded by Dr. Alliott (Br. 

 Med. Journ., 23rd April, 1881), there was vomiting and severe purging. 

 This is not known to have occurred in any case of Suran-poisoning. 



Beck, in his Medical Jurisprudence (p. 949, ed. 1836), refers to a 

 member of the Aroid family mentioned by Hooker in his Exotic Flora, 



