EXTRAORDINARY POISONING.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1168, 14 January 1880, Page 2

EXTRAORDINARY POISONING.

An extraordinary case of poisoning has just happened in one of the suburbs of Melbourne, which may not be without a moral. Some members of a family having been united at Christmas time after a long separation sent out for a couple of bottles of ale in order to properly celebrate the meeting and the season. Tho ale was obtained from the nearest grocer's shop, and duly served round. Two of the company, more thirsty than the rest, raised their glasses and swallowed a mouthful, but it was so bitter that they did not care to proceed further, and the conviviality was checked. Before many minutes had elapsed the two men who had partaken of the ale were suddenly taken ill, and were speedily rolling on the floor in a paroxyism of pain. They were carried to the Alfred Hospital, and underwent a quarter of an hour's treatment for poisoning, which, in itself, is nearly as bad as hanging. The doctors finally declared the symptoms to be those of poisoning by strychnine, and had the men not receivedprompt attention it would have been all over with them. The men are better now, but as .the ale in question was that of a popular Melbourne brewery, the alarm that has spread through all ranks of the community can scarcely be conceived. It is amusing to hear with what expressions of alarm confirmed beer-drinkers learn for the first time that strychnine is an active principal in bitter beer, and it is sad to find that many professed teetotallers display an evident anxiety in ascertaining the percentage of strychnine to the bottle, and calculating how many grains they have swallowed since taking the pledge.— Telegraph.