A basilisk, in this context, is information that can hurt you simply because you are aware of it.

[We] were invited to his school room to demonstrate the foundation of Electic, Elective, Electric, Elliptic Shorthand, and gained an adherent–the principal–who began at once the study of the quadricephalous system and has since remained a staunch advocate of its claims.

About 250,000 poods of yuft are prepared annually, of which about 150,000 poods are red yuft, manufactured chiefly for foreign markets.

Wow, you really made this pie from scratch? I'm not mad at it.