The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-24
Drank Milk That Had Been
Kept in Tin Cans.
MADE DEATHlY SICK
creat Excitement Caused at This
Popular Resort.
MANY LEFT FOR THEIR HOMES
Runors That Got Abroad Were Of
Alarming Nature, and Caused Ans-
iety Here-Ail of Those Stricken
Recovered After Hours Of
SufFering-Everything
is Quiet Now.

is Quiet Now.
For day or two past there have been
rurnors of a disease that was said to be
.rugine at the Old swe& Springs, in West
Virginia, where many Richmonders are
amending the summer, and when on yes
terday it was learned through private
letters and from persons returning from
the resort that from forty to fifty guests
and servants at the Springs had been
made deathly and suddenly sick. there
was much excitement caused in this city.
The report spread like wildfire, and soon
Il could be heard On any street corner
tina; cholera was raging at the Old Sweet
Springs and that guests We're leaving, ter
ror-stricken, In carts. wagons and what
ever conveyances could be gotten. Others
stated that the disease was not cholera,
but was the deadly flux. which some
years ago almost decimated some of the
southwest counties Of Virginia. and that
q strict quarantine had been established.
confining all those who had not been so
IcrlCnate as 10 get away ploliiNtiS, ~
stay and battle with the scourse.
CAUSED EXCITEMENT.
These numerous rumors, as may be
imagined. caused the greatest eNcitnent
here, especially among those who had
friends and relatives staying at the I'd
Sweet, which is one of the most popular
Of the summeling places with Richmond
FRS. Telegrams of inquiry We're dispatched
and in some ca ses at least children were
Instructed by kilograms from their par
PMS to leave at once for home.
Upon careful investigation 1t has been
learned that the danger had been greatly
exaggerated and while there was some
basis for the ruinors that got abroad the
seriousness of the situation was not near
80 great as it had been pictured.
The facts in the case are that On We'd
resday many guests of the hotel became
Inter sely sick being affected with nausea
and vomiting to an alarming extent. The
rain was intense and though physicians
have since stated that there was never
any, danger Of death, yet those first strick-
en- were very much alarmed.
POISONED MILK
Between forty and fifty guests and ser
wants were stricken and others became
alarmed and LEFT on the first train. Physi-
clans from Richmond were teleSraphed
fer. and Drs. Ennicn Williams and Rob
ert F. Williams went up on Thursday.
They worked in conjunction with Dr. T.
NJ Baird, the resident physician at the
Springs. and they diagnosed the cases as
metallic poisoning from drinking milk
that had been allowed to stand in tin YES
sells . On their advice earthern vessels
were substituted. and since then there has
been no further trouble, About fifty
guests left on the first alarm but others
aea.ned the true nature of the trouble and
iensa;ned.
In q statement sent 20 The Times lian-
srer Bell, of the Old Sweet. who. with
his wife. was among those affected by the
pt.;soned milk, states that In no case cid
III. sickness Is st more than twelve hours
cutie long enough. one would imag gine.
MANAGERS STATEMENT
Following is Manager Bells statement
which is ENDORSED by Dr- BARD 'he iesi-
dcnt physician:
..Between Sunday night ard Wednesday
hetn cen forty and fifty of our guests and
.rrr:oyes, out of a. total of over seven
hundred. were attacked with metaIilc
poison from drinking milk that mad been
allowed to stand in tin vessels, None OF
the party who were attacked We're at all
dangerously SICK, so far as life was con-
cerred. and in no case did the sickness
last over twelve hours.
Our resident physician. DR.. T. NJ
Baird and Or. Ennion Williams, OF Rich
.aond, both recommended discontinG-
arce of the vessels. and at once eartheFn-
ware vessels were substituted. since
which there has been no further trouble
Probably, fifty os our guests. being
frightened, left on the first train. out we
st!l! have over four hundred. and they
Grc ~Atisied and not afraid OF 1 recur-
renee of the trouble. For tmenty-three
years the dairy has been in charse of the
sane man. and he has always used TN
vessels. This is the first time any trouols
Of this sort has occurred. No one need
fear coming TO The Sweet. The report has
teen terribly exaggerated
RlcHMONDERS THERE.
Among the Richmonders who were
poisoned were: DR.. and Mrs. McCaw,
Rev. DR.. Robert Strange, rector of ST.
Faul's Church. and Mrs. Strange; Mrs.
Watkins. Berkeley Villains There were
various other Richmonders at the Springs
among them being: Mr.. Henry r. Pol
lard. the ciw attorna!. and his wife:
NrI NJ rutherford. wife and daughter:
M G. T.. Doyle. family and party: N,r
Arthur Waddil and MISS Mamie wad-
sill. Daniel Talley and wife, Mr. L. A.
catlin. r
Mr.. Rutherford, who was at ,he
Springs. returned to this city and was
seen by Times representative, He said
ihere was considerable excitement when
guests first he to be s..iken with ,hea
poisoning but that there was nothing
like so much excitement as had been rf-
ported.
All OF those affected have recovered
and the excitement has entirely abatea
Physicians here say that the escape of
all. where SO many had been poisoned.
is remarkable. as pton1aine poisoning is