Citation

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA. MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. 1962; 11(28): 216.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1962, (in public domain), Publisher U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Approximately one hour after eating supper on June 7, a man and wife and their two children became nauseated and dizzy, vomited, and developed difficulty in swallowing, talking, and seeing. One child, age 7 years, died within 12 hour; after eating. The symptomatology in the other members of the family lasted approximately 24 hours. One of the items for supper included plants mistakenly picked as collard greens in the yard of a vacant house. These plants had been washed, boiled with strips of bacon, and served for supper. Some greens were given to a sister who took them to her house, tasted them, decided they needed more cooking, and cooked them about 30 minutes longer before eating. The collard greens were identified as the wild tobacco plant nicotiana glauca, and consumption of the plant undoubtedly led to acute, severe nicotine poisoning.

(Reported by F. X. Kemp, Chief, Food & Drug Section, H. Meehan, M.D., and John F. Haun, M.D., Los Angeles County Health Department.)