The knowledge of poisoning by wild honey extends into remote antiquity, dating from the time of our old friend Xenophon. Although of not frequent occurrence in modern times, cases have been reported in various parts of the world, such as in India and South America. In New Zealand the victims have mostly been Maoris, and the districts affected Thames, Piako, and the East Coast.

There seems to be some doubt as to the source of the poison. According to Mr. I. Hopkins, Government Apiarist, who has taken a good deal of interest in the subject, the responsibility rests with the yellow flowers of a cress-like plant called the “whauriki,” which grows chiefly in swamps. In other countries a species of Rhododendron has been suspected. In any case, the noxious material is either gathered by the bees directly from the flowers, or is elaborated from the products of the flower, or evolved by decomposition at a later date.

Wild honey only is affected, especially that deposited in or near swamps and in certain parts of the bush. There is no instance, as far as I am aware, of poisoning by cultivated honey.

Dr. Eccles said he had a good deal of experience of honey poisoning in the north, and the symptoms generally were such as Dr Aubin had described. He did not think the poisoned honey came from the whauriki, but from another plant in the bush something like a sycamore, the leaf being very white underneath. It flowered rather later than most flowering shrubs. He had, unfortunately, forgotten the name of the plant.

It was noticed that honey poisoning occurred only when that shrub was in flower. It was not generally known that whenever bush honey was found to be poisonous the combs where not sealed, and the Natives in the north would not eat honey unless they saw that the comb was sealed. Almost every case of honey poisoning he had seen had originated from eating honey brought home by the youngsters, and investigation afterwards always proved that the combs had not properly sealed. With regard to treatment, he was a great believer in stimulants. He first of all gave an ordinary emetic and purgative, and then gave stimulants.

Dr. W. Brown said it had been his misfortune to see four and the remains of two other cases of honey poisoning. The four cases which he saw were all in one family, being a mother and her children, ranging in age from eight to twelve years. They all had convulsions, which lasted off and on for about five hours—practically the whole night long—and it was a most alarming state of affairs. He gave them bromide of potassium, which they kept throwing up. The children recovered in a day or two, but the mother was ill for some considerable time.