New-York tribune., 1901-10-31
SCORES POISONED BY FOOD.
BAKERY PASTRY AFFECTS PARENTS
AND CHILDREN.
PHYSICIANS OFFICES BEsIEGED BY ANX-
IOUS MOTHERS-ALL CASES DUE
TO PTOMAINE

Many persons were poisoned yesterday and
thrown into a panic in the neighborhOod of
Ninth and Tenth aves.. between Forty third and
Forty-ninth sts by the eating of crullers and
doughnuts. All day long physicians fit
ting from house to house attending 10 women
and children and the constant ambulance calls
sent to Roosevelt Hospital from morning until
night gave the surgeons there the busiest day
on record at the hospital Out of the score or
more OF cases none are supposed TO be serious.
AS yet fatal results have been reported
Excited mothers and fathers could be seen all
day rushing to the Offices of physicians in the
neighborhood only TO find that many callers
had preceded them for the same purpose-to get
n doctor for the little ones who became sud-
denly i'll at home. Every physician in the
neighborhood had more cases than he could at
tend to-
All the cruers and doughnuts which pro-
duced such serious results, and almost YER
liable reign of terror. purchased at the
bakeries of r. II. Webber. at Nos. 666 and 694
Tenth ave. He is German. who has done a
prosperous business in the neighborhood for
many years and Is known TO all the children.
who prefer 10 make purchases at his places be-
cause a cruller doughnut is usually thrown In.
on Tuesday Wehber purchased new baking
oil from the wholesale grocery firm of Smith &
Snls Eighth-ave. and Forty-sixth-st. 1t was
manufactured. il said. expressly for cook
ing crullers and doughnuts. and when the
bakers went to work Tuesday night they
used the oil instead Of lard. which formerly
used.
Yesterday morning many orders were re-
ceived for crullers and dOughnuts at Webber's
bakeries. Scores Of children from the public
schools in West Forty-fourth-st. and West
Fiftieth-st bought some before going TO school
old NJ
Tenth-ave. bought some for the breakfast at
his home His brothers and sisters each ate
two crullers In less than half hour all were
deathly sick. George. fifteen years old, who had
started TO work. returned home; Willie and
Harry, ten years old, and Walter. six years
were taken sick in school. and Annie. three
years became sick while playing in the street
With her FIVE children taken suddenly i'll almost
simultaneously. Mrs. Sterker became thoroughly
alarmed and hastily called DR.. S c. Hoke. OF
No. All West Forty-sixth-st He diagnosed the
cases as ptomaine poisoning, and Immediately
gave emetics to each of the children Although
suffering they were not in a serious condition
When Dr. Hoke returned 10 his home he found
calls from a half dozen houses. He went 10 NO
697 Tenth-ave., where Annie Schoppoch. htty-
three years old and her three children, were Ill
They had all eaten crullers or doughnuts from
webber's bakeries at breakfast and had become
suddenly i'll soon afterward
Dr Hoke was afterward called to attend
Lottie Casey twenty years old, and her orother
Charles ten years old at No. 6t3 Tenth-ave';
Lizzie Blunt forty-three years old. and Henry
Kahn eleven years old. OF No. 43I West Forty
eighth-st and Mrs. John Ho1mah' lory-tNo
wears old: her two daughters. Kate, Ten years
old. and Annie, twenty years oio' a' NO o'i
TeI,.S-aVe. ee, sro,,
In every case the patients were suffering from
ptomaine poisoning alleged TO have peen caused
bv eating crullers or dCughnuts from Webners
ha akeries When DR.. Hoke received several more
calls in the afternoon he decided that the ponce
should be informed. He went 70 the West
Forty seyenth-st. station, where ne explained
to the sergeant how the people had been
poisoned and advised that the police take actlon
as fatal results. he said, were naple 10 htIpeh
to some who might eat the pastry.
Detective Frank Gallagher was put on the
case hut he could not find Webber. Excitement
was rife in the neighbOrhood, ana large croWu
had gathered outside Webbers bakeries. In
Tepthave II was rumored that Weber had
disanneared and this added TO the confusion.
Webber turned up, however. and explained 10
the poIce that he not at fault HIS eX-
panation about the new COOKING OH ne hau
purchased was satisfactory ~ the PoiSo anu "c
was not arrested.
DR. Hoke procured several OF the crullers and
doughnuts and sent them to the Board or
Health An inspector was sent TO the bakery
and he made an examination of the flour and
the utensils used by Webber. He exonerated
Wehher from blame An analysis of the pastry
will he made at the Board of Health to-day.
Among the reported TO the police last
night were the following:
Henry Thulman fifty years old; Ellen. four
teen; Anna, eight and Albert, ten years old, all
of No 514 West Forty -eighth-st.
MANY cases were attended TO by private physi-
clans which were not reported to the police.