The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-11-12
EPIDEMIC OF FOOD POISONING.
Investigation into the Disaster Following
an Iowa Wedding.


! Des Moines, Ia, Nov 11-At the reg
! ular meeting of the Iowa state board of
health President E. A. Guilbert, NJ. D.,
| LII. D., delivered report on the in
vestigation made by himself and 9TH
ers regarding the famous epidemic Of
food-poisoning, which occurred in Sabu-
Ia, Jackson county, and which has caus-
ed the death of five persons during the
last five weeks.
The starting point of the disease is
the wedding feast at the Gage farm,
near Sabuia. This wedding occurred
Sept IL, and was attended by more than
200 guests from the vicinity and else
where. In the course of one or two
weeks or more after the wedding 107
took sick. Most of the cases are now
recovering, number Of the most ag-
gravated ones are still lingering, and it
is hardly probable that more deaths win
occur
The dewlling house of the Gage farm
is of ordinary size; the rooms are about
sixteen feet square and of ordinary ca
pactty. A cellar extends under the
whole house. with an entrance on the
south side and a window not protect
ed by panes or screens. AT the time Of
the wedding a large number of guests
were assembled in the house, and while
the ceremony was performed the guests
were packed together in such man
ner that a lady who dropped her hand
kerchief was unable 10 bend down and
fetch it. This was on Wednesday even
ing. When the ceremony was pre-
formed most of the guests partook Of
the dinner, which was served partly in
the house and partly on the lawn.
Ham and bread and butter. pressed
oh fnl-s a :.
served among the guests. Particular
attention has been paid TO the manner
in which the chicken was prepared
The chickens were killed on Tuesday
morning. They We're dressed and plac-
ed in an earthen vessel in the cellar So
We're the turkeys; the latter were killed
in the afternoon. The weather was
vary hot, and, as a matter of course.
large numbers of flies Were attracted,
partly by the heads and other waste mat
ter from the fowls. partly by the meat
in the cellar The lady who assisted
in the cooking went into the cellar on
Wednesday morning; she found the art
icles covered with flies and felt a very
offensive smell There was no ice IN
the house, and although one cake of ice
was brought from the town the amount
was insufficient and was used only in
preserving the butter. Later the chick
ems and turkeys We're prepared for the
table
All of the guests agree that the ham
was well-cOoked. n fact. So well that ii
could not be properly sliced without
falling into crumbs under the knife.
This fact IS Of importance in view Of
the theory that the disease afterwards
manifested was caused by triehniae.
Nearly everybody asserts. so far as
they have been questioned, that they felt
a dSsagreeabie odo- from the chicken
meat and thar the meat was unfit TO
eat One Of those who was afterwards
taken sick said that the meat was
smelling Ike the devil
Shortly after the Wedding SUMMONS
OF disease began 20 appear one o. two
persons became sick within tv-s1n.v-four
hours or fcUty-eisht hours. others in The
course OF several days after the feast.
A peculiar hGSSard expression Of tha
face. the yellow coating of the t6ncue
and intense frontal headache v-.E a
temperature Of T0f degrees u Iag &c
gross were the most conspicuous svnlp-
toms. D.arrhea wes 81 T.lcst cases
rather Aggravated. There was no bfaat-
ing OF the stomach.
The poSt-mo-terns held from time 70
tine disclosed 4 condition, Of he Sr-..S
s------ l7alN-e-F-e ne alEfh--a fF-al
region, similar - thai q tvuhs,'f fk1-a-
Morbid specimens from the posf-nor-
tens we examined By Professor Esv.
hscteTfologist Of the tca-d. ana other
experts. None - these found ssv e.-f-
dence OF tySchsnse professor Raw s,,,-
ceeded. howe7er. n isolaesng and ssrn-
onstr3-lns the @ypIoid hacs..: in ~
Tsarstion ana cultures from faecal mat
es~ from the intestines sent % him for
examination.
The prevailing opinion. bo.A !, Ire
board and among slle lccal p-ofessfe.,
n charge 81 me cases, s. s1at The d.
Se2se 81 typseii fssTs- riucs-i by M
tlsd fo>d. the meat II the chicken. The
disease symptoms are not such as would
indicate ptcsnaine poisoning
The entire -psds-nlc Is - unusual in
te7eSe ana IN many respects an excel. I
lent object lesson. whlfeA may tend %
Ing