Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-06-19
BROWN POISONING CASE.
Report of the State Laboratory
as to the Cause

case of poisoning from diseased pork, |
which occurred III Whiting last Deem |
Der and which resulted in the death |
of Station Agent +. c. Brown, his wife |
and their SON The case was reported !
by the two physicians who were in at
tendance and by NJ. j. Wiltse, director,
and Or. b. II. Stone, bacteriologist of |
the State Laboratory of Hygiene. The |
case attracted much attention at the time
and even now the report of the findings
will be of interest.
There were six people affected the
three members of the Brown family
the Rev. Mr. Jones, Mrs Worcester
and rr. D. 3. Colby one Of the attend
ing physicians. The last three ate one
meal with the Brown family and then
but sparingly of the meat served. Their
/ symptoms were the same as those of the
Brown family. but less severe and recov-
cry was rapid for the reason of the small
amount consumed The Brown family
had been eating Of the pork in question
! in the form Of sausage, headcheese. roast
pork. etc. for several days and COM
/ planned more or less prior to calling n
/ physician. At no time during the afilic
/ ticn did the blood of the patients give
the slightest Vidal reaction. Mrs Brown
was the first to succumb to the cond-
! ton. The physicians were allowed an
autopsy. from which parts Of the organs
were sent to the laboratory for exam
nation. The time lapsing prior to the
microscopial examination of these tissues
allowed for some considerable post-mor-
tenn change. so that it was impossible
! to state further than there there was n
marked congestion throughout the liver.
spleen and kidneys The stomach showed
in its entirety pin-head spots apparently
on the point of liberation. These points
were found to contain a bacterium. The
entire intestinal tract showed much ul-
ceration. The liver showed many areas
, containing an organism as we'll as a
marked degeneration Of the liver cells
We are unable to culture the organism
from these materials for the reason Of
, formaldehyde being present. We were
convinced, however, that the organism
found was the cause of the trouble There
was no autopsy allowed upon the child
but by request the director Of the lab
oratory was allowed partial eXamina-
ton of the father who died some three
| weeks after the first symptoms. Follow
ing are the findings: Body much enact
ated; no skin eruption present. AbdOm-
inal cavity showed slight Inflammation Of
the peritoneum. Liver apDarentlv con-
gested; gall bladder fun kidneys and
spleen apparently normal. G-p7n section
ing liver kidneys, and spleen
showed conCestion) Stomach and
intestinal tract showed much the same
condition a. in the case Of Mrs Brown.
save that the ulceration throughout the
rectUm was greater Thora cic cavity
heart apparently normal mot allowed
marked conoostion mnor eactio,,irq> No
orranfer mentioned vas fo,,nd +brorcb-
IoruN C,,I+t,roe frop, +boeo ,,,o+orio1- r.ora
Iir,noesil,,o nc tho bod,. bod baor ON,
halmed prior to tho autopsy
o,,oo,,i-r, co,.,oe,,o,,dirr "a 40 o,,o eo,,r5
in tho 1ivor of Nrre pror.r oro r.os az,
o1l,. isoio+od fro,, - bro+b i,f,,sio 90
lsoma haod-cboeea ,oada from, tbo cue
roc+od norl- rbis ,is,, VS.
strontotl,ri, ,rosa,+i,o az o,,,ooro,,,,
whom etairod by. CRANE ,,o+bod r.bio,,
i etri,,irc,,. sir,ior - tbo Ii,.or o,5,,
len, ,rbie orra,isn, hos baor s+,,1iad
ord hriae dascrin+io,, vii, bo c;,.o,,
,oiar T. .,;,- r,.;., ,..
for,e eo1rticr ord hv cror,,s ,,,o+tod
ana vtor rrororod fror, oaar ~, t,oo5
sor,,r, ord 60 s+oi,,od ,,.oso,,+s s+r;,,.
lirp niotrre ooronorobla IA brrcb If
threads a., n closo-,,i,,ad srorl 1,bos,
80 - ,, 49,.