^•0Jc°tU,r;9i8arm'}      Alleged  Poisoning  by  Potatoes.  723 
companied  by  a  feeling  of  irritation  of  the  throat.  No  dilation  of 
the  pupil  was  noticed.  The  suspected  potatoes,  comparatively  few 
of  which  had  sprouted,  were  large,  white,  round,  and  normal  in  ap- 
pearance. As  mentioned  later,  the  potatoes  were  examined  chem- 
ically, and  the  proportion  of  solanine  found  to  be  much  above  the 
normal. 
Mass  poisoning  by  potatoes  seems  to  be  comparatively  rare  in 
Great  Britain.  The  only  case,  and  that  a  doubtful  one,  is  reported 
in  Taylor's  "  Medical  Jurisprudence  and  Toxicology,"  sixth  edition, 
vol.  II,  p.  780.  The  opinion  that  death  (which  occurred  with  two 
boys  who  were  affected)  was  due  to  solanine  was  based  on  the  fact 
that  in  the  bowel  were  found  some  small  pieces  of  potato  peelings 
which  possessed  eyes,  showing  evidence  of  sprouting.  No  analysis 
of  the  potatoes  used  appears  to  have  been  made. 
Towards  the  end  of  November,  1917,  numerous  cases  of  poison- 
ing occurred  in  the  eastern  district  of  Glasgow ;  the  particulars  are 
shown  in  the  following  table,  for  which  we  are  indebted  to  Dr. 
Wright,  assistant  medical  officer  of  health  for  Glasgow : 
House- 
hold. 
Number  of 
Persons  111. 
Number 
who  ate 
Potatoes. 
Number 
who  did 
not  eat 
Pota- 
toes. 
Date  Eaten. 
Onset  of  Symptoms. 
Duration  of  Illness. 
Nov. — 
Nov. — 
A  
I 
I 
7 
27,  I  P.M. 
27,  2.15  P.M. 
Died  31  hours 
8 
8 
None 
24,  I  P.M. 
24,  2.3  P.M. 
Few  hours 
p.:: 
2 
2 
1 
25,  I  P.M. 
25,  immediately 
after 
D  
2 
3  (1  ate 
None 
26,  5  P.M. 
26,  5.30  P.M. 
1  to  2  days 
2 
little) 
E  
2 
2 
1 
26,  5  P.M. 
26,  8  P.M. 
2  hours  to  1  day 
F  
4 
4 
1 
23,  6  P.M. 
23,  24,  25,  5 
2  to  3  hours  to  2 
days 
G  .  ... 
7 
7 
None 
24,  2  P.M. 
24,  3  P.M. 
Few  hours 
H  ...  . 
3 
3 
1 
25,   12.30  P.M. 
24,  2  tO  3  P.M. 
I 
2 
2 
6 
24  and  25,  3 
25,  5.3O  P.M. 
P.M. 
J 
6 
6 
None 
23,  I  P.M. 
23,  3  P.M. 
K  
3 
24,  I  P.M. 
24,  2  P.M. 
L  
1 
23 
23,  soon  after 
M  
5 
1 
24 
24/  " 
#  
23 
23.  " 
0  ...  . 
i 
4 
23 
23-  " 
P 
4 
24 
24> 
Q  .... 
3 
2 
23 
24, 
R  
2 
24 
24,  " 
Total . 
61 
