A Critique of Scott's Theory of the Relationship Between Ackee Seasonality and Ackee Poisoning
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The ackee (Blighia sapida) is a beautiful evergreen tree of tropical West Africa that has become Jamaica's most celebrated food plant even though its fruit is more widely known in the scientific literature for its association with poisoning than for its desirability as an edible fruit. The fruit is considered poisonous throughout much of the Caribbean, and its commercial importation into the United States is banned. This is a great loss to Jamaican fanners. Historically, the individual who is most responsible for formulating the idea that ackee poisoning was the cause of an illness called vomiting sickness was Harold Scott, and his work is still being cited in contemporary studies and newspaper articles. The purpose of this paper is to show that Scotts account is inconsistent, especially with regard to his understanding of the relationship between the seasonal availability of ackee and ackee poisoning.