Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-10-04
A STATE-PRISON SENSATION.
A Hundred Convicts in the Connecticut
State Prison Suffering the Pangs of Poison
-Corned Mutton the Supposed Cause-No
Fatal Consequences.

-Corned Mutton the Supposed Cause-No
Fatal Consequences.
HARTFORD, CONN, Sept q.
Thursday afternoon, between three and
four O'Clock, one Of the Inmates Of the Con-
necticut State Prison, at work in the shoe
shop, complained to the-overseer of being
sick at the stomach, and he was imnedi-
abely sent to the hospital steward for treat
nent. Barely had he reached the stewards
quarters when another convict who was
deathly pale also complained of Illness, and
be likewise was referred TO the steward for
treatment. Within short time the num-
Der Of applicants from the convicts began
to increase rapidly, causing alarm and ap-
prehension among the prison officials. All
the men showed unmlstakable symptoms OF
poisoning. They were affected with grip
ing pains in the abdomen and stomach, dry
ness Of the mouth, pRrchinE thirst, ire
quent vomiting and severe retching. Within
an hour of the time that the first complaint
was made twenty-five convicts were being
treated for poisoning. The additions to
the ranks Of the sick were frequent and
rapid, and at six O'Clock one hundred con-
vic1s were stricken DIR. Warren, the
prison physician. was kept busy admins
tering opiates and antidotes. and it was
1880 p. m. before all the afflicted had re-
covered. Medical treatment in some cases
and the antidote had an immediate effect,
while other cases were stubborn and re-
fused to yield. The majority of the con-
victs were kept in their cells, but four Of
them were so bad that their removal to the
hospital was necessary. After administer
ing to the wants Of the men, Warden Ser
geant and has subordinates began to look
for the cause of the trouble. They exau-
ined tie food that had been served TO the
men at dinner. and concluded the poison
enanated from the coTned mutton which
constituted the meat ration of the convicrs
that day. It was purchased of the market
man who regularly supplies the prison. and
was considered unusually fine The prison
officials never buy barTeled corned meat,
put purchase sufficient to supply the re-
tfuirements of each day. In addition TO the
corned mutton the only rations served the
men on Thursday were bread, potatoes and
water. The women prisoners were sup
piled with the same rations, but did not
partake of them. prefefTinc to save II for
the evening meal, so that they could have
il cold. II was. however, taken from them
and they were not allowed to eat it, War
den Sergeant to-day visited the dealer
from whom the meat had been purchased,
and learned that he corns all of his own
meat in the same galvanized iron tanks.
From these tanks large quantities of meat
had been sold but no complaint was made
except that which came from the prison.
DR.. Warner. the prison physician. believes
the SYMPTOMS were those of zinc or copper
poison, and may have come from the brine.
The condition of the men to-day is much
improved, and many of them have been
able TO return 10 the shop, though some are
Still confined to their cells