THE TUTU POISON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 93, 4 March 1862, Page 6

THE TUTU POISON.

Several cases hnvi; lately occurred of persons being most dangerously ill by eating lha berries of the Tutu plant. Tiie sufVcrcrs have, in most instances, been new arrivals or children, the older settlers being, as a rule, well acquainted with the different varieties of the Tutu, or, as it is com.. morily called, the " toot." As it is only from want of knowledge that people risk being poisoned by eating these berries, wo have thought it advisable to publish the following full account. .. which will afford the means of recognising this|. dangerous plant, and tluu avoiding serious mischief :— There aro three descriptions of Tutu—the Tree Tutu, the Dwarf Tutu, and the Tutu proper, the latter of which is the most common, and the most dangerous to man. It is an annual, and when it first appears above ground," late in the Spring, it bears a close resemblance to asparagus. The stalk is red, very juicy, and brittlt:. It grows rapidly until it attains its full size, which varies (according to the nature of the soil) from 18 inches to 3 feet, usually growing in large circular patches, which, from the very dark green color of the leaves, look almost black at a distance. The flowers, which grow on a long stalk, from which they are pendant, have very much the appearance of a miniature shuttlecock, the cork of that well-known plaything being represented by the future berry, and the feathers by minute and beautiful bunches of Stamens. &o. These rapidly full off, and the berry swells until it attains the size of an ordinary currant, of a dark purple color, pendant from the stalk. On the top (or bottom as they hang) there is a cruciform indentation. When pressed they leave a purple stain on anything they come in contact with. Inside they contain a large number of small hard seeds, which in reality contain the poison. The juice is sweet, but mawkish to the taste, and perfectly harmless when carefully strained and free from the seeds. Fermented with the addition of some spirit it makes a strong and by no means unpleasant wine, which is much used by the natives. The Tutu ■ berries are also manufactured into jelly, and we have even heard of their being made into puddings, as it is asserted that boiling deprives even the seeds of their poison. The symptoms of Tutu poison are first a slight giddiness, which increases until the sufferer experiences unirresistable desire to rnn" round and at last falls clown, when the limbs become rigid, the eyes become fixed, and occasional lits of the most frightful convulsions come on, which in a very short time terminate in death, unless prompt remedies are administered. From experience we believe that the most certain remedy is to administer strong doses of mustard as an emetic early in the case. If mustard is not obtainable any other emetic may be substituted, the great object being to induce vomitinjr. For children warm baths are an excellent auxiliary, and in all cases care should be taken not to crowd the patient, and thus prevent a copious supply of air, which is most necessary, a suffocating sensation being one of the symptoms. With cattle, bleeding, exercise and plentiful libations of cold water about the head, arc the most successful applications, and great caution should be used in approaching them, as the quietest beast is very apt. to rush and gore while under the inilueuce of Tutu. Early application of the above remedies will almost certainly be efficacious. For sheep, bleeding is the most usual remedy, but the effect of the Tutu upon them is most extraordinary. The sheep that have eaten tutu, when they recover, rarely rejoin the flock, but remain in the vicinity of the place-where they recover, wandering about by themselves. They are termed "hermits" and usually fall a prey to dogs or some accident as they never seem to regain their intelligence. The Tree Tutu is diced nous and from 3 feet to 7 . feet in height, the leaves larger and darker in color than that of the Tutu proper. The tree Tutu like the Tutu proper grows in patches. The berries are entirely the same in appearance and equally poisonous, although the native pigeonsjare very fond of feeding on them, ant in the proper season desert the bush to do so. The stalk of the tree is square, and from 1 to '2 inches in diameter, with a pith resembling the Elder. It is not so common as the Tutu proper, but is often to be found on the sides of gullies. The other species, that of the Dwarf Tutu, is much scarcer than tho two others, and is not to be found in this portion of the jwovince at all. It grows sparely in some portions of the north, and plentifully in the south, especially on the banks of the Mataura. It is very handsome, only a few inches in height, and grows in extensive fields, being a complete miniature of the Tutu proper, save that it is rather lighter in color, which probably arises from its growing beneath the shelter of the other vegetation. It is considered the most dangerous to sheep and cattle, but as it is so small we never heard of a person having eaten it. Cattle constantly among the Tntu feed on it with impunity, and it is considered capital fattening stuff:', but cattle when heated by driving, or when hungry, are almost sure to be injuriously affected if allowed to eat of it. It is also especially dangerous when the dew is on it, or on a wet day, and when driving ca'.tlc the operation of the poison is much accelerated by allowing them to drink after eating of the plant. Cattle or sheep unaccustomed to the Tutu are almost sure to be seized by the poison, and the mortality is sometimes excessive. Horses do not eat it at all. The roots of all the species form an exceedingly strong and tough net work below the ground, and offer great obstructions to the agriculturist, as they frequently break his plough, strain his team, &c. Tutu ground, however, is almost always rich, and when broken up, well repays the labor of the settler. It is considered that it is more dangerous to eat of the Tutu when heated, hungry, or tired. This remark ann'.ies onn.illv ±n mmi :m<l nm'mnio