The Redwood gazette., 1902-01-15
POISONED BY HEAD CHEESE
Several Families of this City Have Been
Poisoned During the Past
Two Weeks.
Among Them Were the Families, of ]. A.
Schmahl, O. L. D0rnberg and
John Vale.

The families of julius A. Schmahl
and John Vale we're the victims OF
ptomaine poisoning on Friday even
ing of last week. while the family OF
O. L. Dornberg was the victim OF it
on Wednesday evening, and the
family of G. B., Butler two or three
week ago. The ptomaine poisoning
was injected into the systems of the
various victims by reason of head
cheese purchased at Second street
market.
Mr.. Schmahl showed the first
signs of poisoning on Friday even
ing. He was attending a meeting of
Redwood Chapter of Royal Arch
Masons, and as high priest, was en-
gagged in comforting a most excel
lent master S degree. His lips be-
coming quite thoroughly parched,
he asked for glass of water. This
was brought to him and three min
utes later vomiting set in. Mr..
Schmahl at first thought that the
drinking of the water might have
caused the vomiting, and after he
took a seidlitz powder he attempted
to return to the work, but after an
other five minutes he was obliged to
cease and the lodge was declared
closed. He was assisted to THE GA
zETTE office, with the hopes. that be
might shortly1reebver, but he con
tinued to grow .ts,rss .ts,rssss and at 10
O. clock the friends who were with
him sent for DR.. Palmer, who after
giving the patient morphine and
|strychnine injections, and ,ru bbing
the lower limbs, which had lost Cir
culation almost altogether, succeed
ed in quieting him. 1t was during
the resting spell that 0. l.. Dorm
berg appeared, and after learning
that the patient had eaten some
head cheese for supper, announced
the poisoning, in a milder form, that
| came with head cheese eaten by his
family on Wednesday evening. The
two youngest children were consid.
cred serious for a time, however,
and Mr.. Dorm berg himself was bad.
ly affected
While Mr.. Schmahl was resting
F. L. Warner left for his residence
to inform Mrs. Schmahl of what had
happened, and to arrange for re
ceiving the patient, who would have
to be taken home in a carriage.
Reaching the house Mr.. Warner
found Mrs. Schmahl and her six
year old son, Dana, both the vic.
TINS Of poisoning, and waiting for
Mr.. Schmahl's appearance. Mr..
Warner dispatched DR.. Palmer to
the residence, and remained with
other friends watching Mr.. Schmahl
until he could be removed, which
was after II O'Clock. Mr.. Schmahl
aud his sou were the heaviest vie
tins OF the poisoning, strange as it
may seem, because they both ate
lightly of the head cheese at supper
time. DR.. Palmer gave his exclu-
sive attention to them for an hour.
until they were found to be resting
more easy.
When the fact became known Sat
urday morning another report came
with it that Mr.. and Mrs. John Vale
had both suffered from the poison
ing, they having secured slices
from the same cheese as did Mr..
Schmahl. They succeeded in se-
curing the required freedom from
the effects of the poisoning about IL
o'clock that night, indicating that
the slices they secured were from a
portion Of the cheese which con
tanned less .ptomaine
Two or three weeks ago &C. B.
Butler purchased some head cheese
10 cents worth-and served it on
q table at which seven we're seated.
Two hours later the members of the
family were all taken sick, and for a
time it was thought that the little
girl would not live. At that time
Mr.. Butler concluded that there
was something wrong with the