170 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. IX. 



There are several other instances which may be cited here to show 

 that even although one part of a plant may be perfectly innocuous, 

 another may be obnoxious. Thus, Abrus precatorius (Marathi Gunj, 

 nat. ord. Leguminosce), the root of which is perfectly harmless and 

 considered a safe substitute for the liquorice-root ( Glycerrhiza 

 glabra^ nat. ord. Leguminosce), bears seeds which, if used inter- 

 nally, act as powerful gastric irritants producing symptoms not easily 

 to be differentiated from those of cholera. I have several instances 

 of such affection, which I shall mention in detail when I describe the 

 plant in a future number of this series of papers on the poisonous 

 plants of Bombay. 



Take, again, the mature seeds of Badyan (Illicium anisatum^ nat. 

 ord. Magnoliacece). The curious looking star-like fruit of this tree is 

 largely employed as a carminative, and serves as a valuable and much 

 appreciated flavouring adjunct in Indian curries and pulldos. But 

 the seed is distinctly poisonous if eaten when perfectly mature. Dr. 

 Rozario of Mazagon has come across some cases of poisoning from such 

 seeds. In my own practice at the J. J. Hospital of Bombay, I came 

 across a case in 1887. Mr< J. Gallagher, the House Surgeon then, 

 brought the case to my notice. He has since recorded another case 

 of a fatal nature which occurred very recently in the J. J. Hospital, 

 where the seeds had been swallowed outside the hospital. 



One more instance I may add to these. From personal experience 

 I know that a quarter-inch square piece of the bark of Mimusops 

 elengi ( Marathi Bahul or Wowlen^ nat. ord. Sapotacce) chewed at the 

 instance of a zealous benefactor for relieving a bad tooth-ache produced 

 within twelve hours a terrible oedema of the uvula and the mucous 

 membrane of the whole mouth, and an incessant flow of saliva for 

 over two hours. Fortunately the bark was only chewed and 

 its irritant juice not swallowed, else to a certainty violent gastric 

 inflammation had followed. This was a case of the patient ejaculat- 

 ing " Save me from my friends !" Be it noted, on the other hand 

 that the fruit of Bahul is edible and perfectly harmless. It has a 

 sweet astringent taste. 



I have thus tried to justify my insertion of the Moringa pterygo* 

 perma plant among the poisonous plants, however largely and with- 

 out harm it is used for culinary purposes. 



