Bug-Eating and Its Results

Sir,?While acting Medical Officer of the Nizam Ghat Column, Mishmi Mission, we were encamped, on the 4th December, 1911, on the north bank of the Dibong River, within sight of Nizam Gh&t, prior to our trip up the Sisseri River. On the morning of the 5th December I was awakened at 5 a.m., and asked to see a coolie, who was said to be very ill. On reaching the man in his " basha," he had distinct rigors, which gave me the impression that he was suffering from malaria. The night had been a cold one, and a sharp breeze had been blowing, and I thought that by exposure in an open "basha" he had contracted a chill. On takii g his temperature, I was surprised to find he had no fever. I was informed he had passed a bad night from about midnight, had complained of headache, and had vomited. On asking to be shown the dejecta, I was shown some greenish-looking fluid, that appeared to be bile mixed with rice and sand. The patient's extremities were cold, and he could not sit up. His pupils were dilated, and though n<t unconscious, he could not answer questions. He was in a state of total paralysis without coma, and convulsed with tremors. I had him covered with extra blankets, and administered a dram of spirit ammoni aromatic with an ounce of water, and ordered him to be carefully watched. Five minutes later, I was called to see two other coolies with similar symptoms. These three cases gave me the impression of some kind of poisoning being the cause ; there was no diarrhoea.' After careful enquiry I ascertained that, the evening before, the coolies had gathered a large quantity of garden-bugs, which they found under rocks, on both sides of the river, and not on trees. They had heard from the Mishmis that these bugs were edible. On questioning the Mishmis they confirmed the statement, and said that they all suffered in the same manner