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FATAL EFFECTS OF EATING The TOAD FISH
A Warning to all and sundry.
A report on the Coroner's Inquest, held this day, April 18, 1821, at Parramatta, on the body of JOHN BUFF, who came by his death in the following manner: - The unfortunate man had been fishing during the afternoon at Duck-river Bridge, about three miles from the town of Parramatta on the Sydney Road, and had caught a few TOAD-FISH. On his return to Parramatta, the place of his residence, he broiled the fish for his supper, and eat them accordingly.
In about ten minutes afterwards he expressed himself as being nearly insensible; his tongue became much swoln; he laid himself prostate on the ground, and requested to have some water given him, complaining much of extreme thirst.
As soon as he had drank the water, he begged to be turned on the other side, which last request of the poor man was scarcely complied with, before his soul took her flight into eternity. From the time he had eaten the fish to the time of his death, was about 20 minutes.
The verdict on this occasion was - Died by eating the TOAD-FISH.
We have one remark to make upon the cause of the unfortunate man's death - the TOAD-FISH.
It is, of all others of the small finny tribe, the most forbidding to behold; it has a bull-head, runs tapering to the tail, and in length never exceeds 6 inches; it is always found about the beaches, coming in and receeding with the tide; and is proverbially known, and has ever been declared to be poisonous since the formation of our Colony.
Animals have eaten of this fish and soon after died. The deceased must have been a stranger to the Colony, or those who saw him dress the fish must have been alone ignorant of what almost everyone else is aware; for the very appearance of the animal is sufficient to excite abhorrence.
It is worthy also of observing that the deceased expressed no feeling of bodily pain but went off, as it were, in a slumber. Persons that have been bitten by snakes have been affected much in a similiar way, and have sometimes expired as quickly.