Bantwal: The consumption of a medicinal concoction made from the bark of a tree, presuming it to be the bark of a Paale tree, left three members of a same family ill on Tuesday, August 2.

The incident occured in Panjikallu in Bantwal, after three family members Vasanth Poojary (48), his children Ashwitha (17) and Anvitha (15) fell sick due to the consumption of a concoction on the occasion of Aati Amavasya.

On Tuesday, early in the morning, Vasanth’s wife Pushpa mistook Kanapaale tree to be a Paale tree and prepared the concoction. Soon after they consumed it, they started vomiting. They were then shifted to Thumbe private hospital, where they are now said to be recovering.

Bantwal rural police inspector Rakshith Gowda has collected information about the incident.

Dr Kiran who treated the family members said, “All three are out of danger as there was no poisonous element in the tree.

People from coastal region believe that if the concoction prepared out of the Paale bark is imbibed early in the morning on an empty stomach before sunrise, it will provide them immunity against diseases that are specific for rainy season, as well as absolve them of past sins. The concoction is made by boiling the bark of the tree with other ingredients like garlic, turmeric and fenugreek seeds and is bitter to taste.