The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-03
Oysters rs Il Source of Disease

Oysters as IA Source of Disease.
A serious impression to the effect that
oysters were no longer to be regarded as a
safe article of food was created In England
last year by the fatal results which fol-
lowed banquets given in November by
the Mayors of Winchester and Southamp-
ton. Out of total OF 267 guests who at
tended these two feasts, ~ were at
tackled by gastro-enteritis shortly after
ward. Every one of these had eaten raw
oysters, II of them developed typhoid
fever, and 5 Of them died.
The sensation aroused by these circum-
stances led to an investigation by the
Local Government Board, the results OF
which have just been made public and are
the subject of comment in the wellknown
London medical journal, the Lancet 1t
appears that the oysters eaten at the
two Mayors feasts came from Ellsworth,
near Portsmouth, where they were OBJ
tanned from bed situated within 100 feet
Of the outlet of the main sewer OF the
village, the bed being uncovered at low
tide and subject TO constant and direct
contamination by the sewage. The dan
ger arising out of this condition Of things
was pointed ont by the medical depart
ment of the Local Government Board as
long ago as 1896, yet these Ellsworth
oyster beds have been used to supply the
British oyster market, in spite of the
warning, ever since, at the cost OF the five
lives which have been mentioned and TO
the great injury OF the English oyster
trade, which has suffered to the extent Of
thousands OF pounds in consequence OF
the decreased consumption of oysters
arising out of the scare created by
the disastrous banquets of Southampton
and Winchester.
In summing up the results Of the Gov
eminent investigation, the Lancet con-
siders that the raw oyster eater is ex-
posed to two kinds of risk-one very
serious, the other not essentially greater
than that which we run in regard to foods
generally Where an oyster bed is To-
Gated so that it is uncovered at low water
and sewage is discharged in its immediate
neighborhood the risk may fifty be
compared TO that of drinking water
from well receiving contaminated
leakage. On the other hand, when an
oyster bed is in deep water and the near
est discharge of sewage is far-perhaps
miles away. the possibility that such
sewage may render the oysters injurious
to health is characterized as a risk OF
much the same order as that which 10
run by the consumer of London water or
unboiled milk. In other words, it is
risk which thousands Of persons take
every day without injury.
These facts are of peculiar interest to
us here in New York, because the effect
of the Winchester and Southampton
banqucts operated al first to discredit our
American oysters among timid people at
home. SO general was the apprehension
on the subject that the State Superin-
tendent of Shellfsheries, Mr.. B. FRANK
WooD, sent a supplementary report to
the Forest Fish and Game Commission,
under date of Jan. 10, 1903, on what he
called The English Oyster Scare" In
this report he presents evidence gathered
from various sources tending to show
that the beds from which the Long Island
oyster supply is obtained are so situated
as to be absolutely protected against
sewage or any other contamination,
Special certificates are furnished in re-
spect to the oysters known as East Rivers
and Blue Points, and general certificates
in regard TO oysters from the Great South
Bay generally. Some of Mr.. WOODS
statements indicate serious doubt on his
part as to whether oysters are ever in fact
source of typhoid fever, thus far does
his zeal carry him in the defence of the
American oyster,
While we cannot follow him to that
extent--n view of the English outbreak
of last year--we are glad to believe that
he is right in thinking that we may all
safely eat Of the home product as soon
as we come to n month with an in it,