The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1893-09-02
FEVER AT DEL0RAIN2.
Was the Virus in the Milk?
How did 1t get Into the Ice-cream?
Wholesale Sickness.
(Deloraine Times.)

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(Deloraine Times3
Since our last issue the sickness which
we referred to amongst those who partook
| Of ice-cream at the Christian Endeavor
social on Friday evening, August nth, has
been found to be more wide spread than
was at first supposed, and more serious in
its effects. Something over one hundred
people who partook of lce-cream. at the
social in question nave become seriously
ill, and have had to call in the services of
the doctor, and take to their beds. The
symptoms have been practically all of the
same nature, and have received the name
| Of 'ice-cream fever" from the fact that in
every case the patients had partaken Of
ice-cream. For the first day or two after
the social those requiring the services OF
the doctors were chiefly children; next in
order came the young women and young
men, and at the end of the week, or with
in seven days after the social. the older
people began to 60 down.
The symptoms first shown we're weak
ness and lassitude, followed by nausea and
vomiting, or diarrhoea. accompanied by
chills and high temperature alternating;
in other cases there was constipation. This
was followed by muttering delirium In
some cases, the patients would lie as 1t
doing, and then awake with a start, and
vet appear to be unconscious of where
they we're; the tongue would be coated. the
mouth and sometimes the teeth would be
sore, and an offensive smell would be CIV
en- off by the patient. In a few cases there
lave been very violent pains in the bowels.
At first Drs. Thornton and Tomalin did
not give this disease a name, but said it
was a fever; and no doubt they we're right.
A few Of the patients have been and are
in a very dangerous condition.
Yesterday, Aug. 20, twelve days after
the social, it is reported that this ice-crea,m
fever is true typhoid fever; the doctors as
sert that the full train of symptoms have
revealed true typhoid fever, down to the
slight.rash on the abdomen, which usual
ly accompanies this disease. Now for the
ice-cream and its connection. . In every
one of these fever cases the sufferers par
took of ice-cream, the major portion at the
rink where the social was held; some 9TH
ers took it home to their families. There
are some who partook of this ice-cream
who have not been sick enough to call in
the doctor, some few who have not been
sick at all, but there is NJ case of this fever
except amongst those who did partake.
A number of farmers and their families
attended the social, those members of the
family only who partook of ice-cream are
sick; the others are not.
There is the case. of two young ladies
who we're present and had some of this
ice-cream, who left Deloraine by train the
next day for a town $50 miles away; they
are now down with the identical fever.
There are a number of cases clearly de-
fined where whole families attended the
social, and in these families those who are
sick ate ice-cream; another case where a
townsman took some of this ice-cream
home to his family. they are sick. We do
not like to mention names but these state
ments can be substantiated.
Now! how came this thing to be; the
fever has been confined to those who par
took of this particular ice-cream, whether
they were at the social or not. A number
of people who attended this social did not
take ice-cream, they took berries and cake:
none of these people are sick. Even the
Indian children from the mission who
we're present, and had ice-cream, are sick.
Very clearly then, the evidence points
to the ice-cream as being the source or
medium through which this disease was
distributed. Now, the doctors declare
that this ice-cream fever is nothing but
pure typhoid fever.
Then m the question, how came the
typhoid fever germs or virus in the ice
cream? This a question that demands an
answer, and the fullest investigation should
take place. The whole thing is shrouded
in mystery, and should not be allowed to
drop. 1t is monstrous to think that so
many people should be placed in danger
of their lives without an effort being made
to trace the matter up. The Provincial
Board of Health should investigate the
matter.
1t is reported that some of this ice-cream
was made in a dirty freezer, which had
only been rinsed out with cold water. How
true this is cannot be said just now; those
who could say are sick yet.
At this writing we are pleased to be able
to state that in the great majority of cases
progress is being made towards recovery.
1t should be clearly remembered however.
that the great danger in this fever is the
convalescent period.