Castor-Oil Seed in Cattle Foods. 
597 
planting, and cultivating, and in taking advantage of every mode of 
disposing of the produce. 
The Queenslanders have been quick to see the advantages of the 
various systems of dealing with fruit and vegetables that have been 
described, which are so profitably practised by the Americans, and 
there is no reason why they may not be successfully adopted in this 
counti’y, both upon a large scale in factoi’ies and buildings for the 
purpose, as well as upon a small scale in the homes of the people. 
It would be useful if Technical Education Committees of County 
Councils were to send capable teachers of the fruit, preserving industry 
into country districts to give lectures, like Mrs. Shelton in Queens- 
land. These would be difficult to obtain at first, but in time capable 
persons would arise. I was asked lately to name someone able to 
give lectures on fruit and vegetable preserving, and after many 
inquiries I was obliged to confess that I had failed to discover 
anyone possessing the necessary acquirements. 
Cn.^RLES WlIITEHE.A.D. 
CASTOR-OIL SEED IN CATTLE FOODS. 
The very poisonous effects of the seed of the castor-oil plant 
{Ricinus communis), v/hen eaten by human beings, have been 
known for a long time. Dr. Taylor, in his text-book on Medical 
Jurisjyrudence, mentions several cases in which severe illness and 
even death have resulted from eating these seeds ; and, although in 
one of the cases cited, an adult ate seventeen seeds and, never- 
theless, recovered from the effects, in another case a man died in 
forty-six hours after eating three seeds only. Two friends of the 
writer, moreover, were made seriously ill after eating three or four 
castor seeds. 
Of the oil, which is obtained from them by pressure, nothing 
need be said here, but it is not generally known that this is not the 
only physiologically active ingredient which the seed contains. In 
the embryo is found another active principle, and it is to this that 
must be attributed the severe effects which are experienced from 
the internal administration of the seed. 
The action on the human system Dr. Taylor describes in these 
words : “ Soon after the pulp has been swallowed, there is severe 
pain in the abdomen, copious and painful vomiting with bloody 
purging, thirst and convulsions, terminated by death.” It is, how- 
ever, more particularly the corresponding effect of the castor-seed 
on farm stock which will be found of interest to agriculturists. 
Individual cases under this head are not so numerously reported 
as in the case of human beings ; foi', the seeds not being used in 
farm practice in the same way as linseed, cotton, rape, and other oil- 
seeds, they do not find a place in the granary, and there is probably 
