EXTRAORDINARY HOAX.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 46, Issue 14143, 15 June 1920, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY HOAX.

CROCODILE EGGS IK EKGLAKD. Idle rumour has been responsible for an extraordinary scare in a denselypopulated. part of Tyneside, and, incidentally, brought a small harvest to the .chemists, who were applied to in order to provide an antidotof or “crocodile poisoning,” says tho “Lloyd’s News.” The trouble arose over a supply of 24d eggs at Neweastle-on-Tvne. These constituted tho cause, imagination produced the effect. The peculiar colour of the shells of the -Id rarebits aroused attention. Tho eggs, when boiled, were found to be “slightly strong,” and the two combinations led to comment. A lover of hoaxing grasped the opportunity, and succeeded in producing stomachic revolution. He insidiously started the story that, although "the eggs came from Egypt, they were not the genuine product of tho hen. They were reallj laid by crocodiles on the banks of the Nlie, ‘collected by the natives, were shipped to England and sold as liens' eggs. The rumour rapidly spread, and instantly the consumers of the 2*d marvels began to feel queer about the waist-belts. Pains developed, and scores of people went sick. Imagination played extraordinary freaks. Tho chemists were urged to supply cures for “egg sickness.” One. woman, who admitted consuming two eggs for breakfast and another couple for tea, reported quite ill, and was sure the eggs were hatching inside!, There was a movement which caused her imagination to conceive the idea that a voung crocodile had actually been ha : ched. The chemist cured her and killed the imaginary baby croc, with a dose of essence of peppermint. “It is the most extraordinary experience in my long career, ,v said a .drug dispenser. “I have been visited •by over a score of people, mostly women, who have assured mo that they were poisoned through eating crocodile eggs. They were not satisfied when I told them the eggs were a favourite dish among British people in Egypt, and I had to give them an antidote, which consisted of peppermint. I have heard .that the publichouses also were bombarded with requests for strong whisky to kill the crocodiles the men said they had swallowed. Tho scheme of the joker must have proved a great success from his point of view. It certainly brought us business.”

The alleged er.ocodile egga, were traced to - their " source. They had never seen tho Nile nor Egypt. Originally they were laid in Denmark, where there are no crocodiles. A silly sto.ry and imagination did the rest.