A poisoning tragedy, involving the death of seven persons—six summer visitors' and a ghillie boatman—has darkened the _holiday season in the West Highlands of. Scotland. The circumstances are exceptionably painful and are; still in some respects mysterious. "t has claimed the attention of the public for other reasons besides the! sudden and unlooked for nature of! the calamity and the number and social position of those who have been so swiftly hurried away from the midst of holiday occupations; and surroundings. It is felt that hidden in these "it cumstances there' may lurk a deally danger that is of significance not alone to tourists and sportsmen who carry their food with them to Highland lochs. and hillsides and make picnics, but to the whole body of the community.
The scene, of the tragedy was a well-known hotel in one of the most romantic and beautiful districts in Ross-shire. The loch famous for its salmon and trout, and it seems that at the beginning of last week two parties of visitors, with two boatmen, left the hotel for a day's fishing. They carried sandwiches for lunch, some made with cold vast beef and others with potted meat—turkey, tongue and chicken. 1 was not till next morning that any ill effects were experienced. he first pro nounced symptom was double vision, but even then nothing dangerous was suspected Then came signs of deeper distress; some were sick, others were dizzy and a sort of paralysis of the throat, including the vocal organs, followed, while puckering of the eyes was pronounced. The sufferers were fully conscious and were able to write down what they could not articulate. It was noted that all who died had eaten of the sand-wishes of potted meat; those who had taken the sandwiches of roast beef escaped without injury. One of the victims was the wife of a Major of the Seaforth Highlanders, who was on furlough from India. The tragedy has created great excitement all over the North, and everywhere potted and tinned meats, which are usually in Cemand at this holiday season, are strictly tabooed.
A RARE BACILLUS SUSPECTED, Suspicion was at once directed to the potted meat as the key to the poisoning, although it was believed that this food could not have been marked by any strongly distinguishable and unpleasant taste or smell, otherwise it could scarcely have been so freely served and eaten. The words "ptomaine poisoning" at once flew to the thought and lips of most people on hearing of the calamity. Expert medical opinion, however, came almost at once to the conclusion that this was not likely to be a ease of chemical or ptomaine poisoning in the strict sense, but the product of the lethal activities of a bacillus, and not improbably of the bacillus botulinns, with the effects produced by whose presence in the vital organs the symptoms of the victims of the fatality most closely agree.
Grave grounds for thought and speculation, if not for alarm, are furnished by the statement that, should this prove to be the work of botulinns, it would be, so far as is known, the first time its presence has been established in this country. It is rare m Europe and, although more frequently met with in America, in not more than 1,000 cases has it come within the cognisance-of medical science. Its ways are insidious and subtle, as
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.