Alleged  Poisoning  by  Potatoes.     {  Am-0JC 
No. 
Acid 
Value. 
Ester 
Value. 
Saponifi- 
cation 
Value. 
Per  Cent. 
Free 
Benzoic 
Acid. 
Per  Cent. 
Free 
Cinnamic 
Acid. 
Per  Cent. 
Combined 
Benzoic 
Acid. 
Per  Cent. 
Combined 
Cinnamic 
Acid. 
Per  Cent. 
Total 
Acids. 
I 
III. 8 
71.2 
183 
8-55 
II.99 
6.19 
5-93 
32.66 
2 
112. 3 
79-0 
I9I-3 
9.12 
11-53 
7.87 
6.56 
35-08 
3 
98.1 
79  1 
177-2 
8.48 
11.86 
8-35 
8.68 
37-37 
4 
100.6 
72.1 
172.8 
7.8 
10.69 
7-45 
8.92 
34-86 
5 
118. 2 
60.8 
179 
9.1 
13-7 
5-94 
8.97 
37-71 
6 
92.2 
62.6 
154-8 
6.63 
12.4 
6.17 
8.67 
33-87 
7 
101.3 
65-9 
167.2 
8.29 
I3-7I 
5-37 
10.13 
37-5 
8 
102.5 
59-3 
163.8 
8-34 
13-54 
5:22 
9.08 
36.18 
9 
96.6 
65.0 
161.6 
7.86 
13.12 
6  43 
9-95 
37.36 
10 
132.4 
66.2 
198.6 
7.42 
15-9 
11. 1 
5-2 
39-86 
ii 
140. 1 
39-4 
179-5 
24.74  ' 
12 
124.3 
58.3 
182.6 
24.4  , 
13 
117. 8 
90.9 
208.7 
47-56 
14 
108.9 
85.3 
194.2 
45.12 
ALLEGED  POISONING  BY  POTATOES.1 
By  F.  W.  Harris,  F.I.C.,  and  T.  Cockburn,  F.I.C. 
The  shoots,  haulms,  and  leaves  of  the  potato  contain  appreciable 
amounts  of  an  alkaloid  glucoside,  solanine ;  under  certain  condi- 
tions this  alkaloidal  glucoside  may  accumulate  in  the  tubers  them- 
selves, and  may  be  present  in  sprouting  potatoes  in  quantity  suf- 
ficient to  cause  serious  poisoning. 
Numerous  cases  of  poisoning  have  occurred  on  the  Continent. 
The  symptoms  of  five  epidemics  in  which  716  individuals  were  in- 
volved are  recorded  by  Dixon  Mann.2  Speaking  generally,  the 
symptoms  were  those  of  gastro-enteritis — namely,  vomiting,  diar- 
rhoea, colicky  pains,  headache,  depression,  etc.  The  majority  of  the 
cases  were  serious,  although  all  the  people  affected  ultimately  recov- 
ered. It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  potatoes  which  acted  in  this  way  pre- 
sented no  abnormal  appearance. 
Pfuhl3  records  the  poisoning  by  potatoes  in  May  and  June,  1899, 
of  fifty-six  men  of  the  Berlin  Garrison.  The  symptoms  were  sim- 
ilar to  the  above,  whilst  jaundice  and  partial  paralysis  were  noticed 
in  a  few  cases.    A  rise  of  temperature  was  generally  observed,  ac- 
1  From  The  Analyst,  April,  1918. 
2  Brend,  "  Handbook  of  Medical  Jurisprudence  and  Toxicology,"  p.  252. 
3  Deutsche  medicinische  W ochenschrift,  1899,  p.  753. 
