A rare case of turtle poisoning which occurred in a Muslim community at Cotabato, Mindanao, is reported. The meat, eggs and entrails of a sea turtle normally found in the locality were boiled and eaten, after which 11 individuals, as well as dogs, who ate the entrails died. Description of the turtle thru letters showed that its possible species is Eretmochelys imbricata, the hawksbill turtle. Although a previous case of poisoning was reported from a nearby locality, yet no accurate data were taken for comparison.
The symptoms noted showed the neurotoxic action of the poison which was similar to other cases previously reported in the literature. The epithelium of the buccal cavity was severely affected. Samples of the turtle meat were salted and sent to the Manila Health Office for analysis, but it failed to show the symptoms of poisoning when fed to rats.
A review of literature of cases of turtle poisoning was made. A previous case in Cebu, Philippines (1917) was cited although Taylor (1921) believed that it was the green turtle, Chelonia mydas L. which caused the poisoning. The symptoms exhibited in these two Philippine cases were more or less identical.
This paper is a report on a rare case of turtle poisoning which occurred in Rosa community, Dinaig, Cotabato, Philippines.