The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-12-07
Entire Family of Sanitary In.
spector S. A. Hall Suffering
from Illness Traced to Same
Source.
Called to Attend Mrs. Hall
Soon Has Three Children
and Then Father on His
Hands. City Chemist and
Bacteriologist Examine Bread

Sanitary Officer S. A Hall, OF the
Richmond health department, former
mayor of Paramount, and four MEM
hers OF hts family are seriously Ill
at their home at 1I02 North Twenty
third street. The entire family fell
victims OF ptomaine poisoning, Ii In
believed. through eating potato bread
Friday night.
DR.. Ramon d. Garcin. who IL at
tending the stricken family believes
all will recover. though he could not
state last night that they are out
OF danger.
Some of the potato bread. which IL
believed to have caused their illness.
is in the hands OF DR.. j. NJ. Whitfield,
city chemist. and of Aubrey H. Stratus.
city hacterioiosist. for examination
and analysis,
Suffer Intensely.
From 4 O'Clock yesterday morning
when the first symptoms of ptomains
poisoning were experienced by Mrs.
Hall, until late last night. all suffered
intensely. Shortly after Mrs. Hall be-
came Ill. Alma, twelve-year- old
daughter, suffered a similar sickness.
Another daughter. Bernice. was
stricken during the early morning
hours. Then came the attacks OF the
ailment upon Clinton A. Hall. twenty
finally that upon Mr.. Hall himself.
To give attention to the members
of the stricken family DR. Garctn was
called early yesterday. AS the num-
Der of his patients in the Hall house,
hold grew, ne found all were suffering
apparently from the same cause. He
made an investigation. the trail OF
which led to the potato bread. of
which the family had eaten the night
before.
-- Potato Bread blamed
An untouched loaf was found ana
broken open. Its interior was found
to be OF greenish hue, and DIR. Gar
Gin promptly called the attention of
DIR. Whitfield to the bread, DIR. Whit
field took a portion OF 1t. and an
other portion was turned over to City
BacterioIogfst Straus Their exAn1i.
nation of the bread had not been con-
Guided last night
DIR. whitfield. however. informed DIR
Garcin that he had had a similar case
recently In which microscopic fungus
appearing In the potato used for food
had caused ptomaine or bacterial
poisoning. DIR. whitfield believes the
case of the Hall family Is due to =
similar fungus.
The suffering of every member OF thu
family. from the appearance of the first
symptom, 1t lS Salu. was acute LIE.
Garctn paid several visits during tho
day to the family, watching closely the
progress of the five cases and noting
tate in the day encouraging signs.
which leads to the belief all will re-
cover.
The Illness was marked from ths
frst with nausea, and later there waa
intense prostration. which served AZ
aids TO nature and have contributed
largely to bringing the sick persons to
"A stage from which recovery Is but .
step.
Went to work.
Suffering more probably than other
members of the family Is Clinton A
Hall. who is clerk in the First Ma
tfonal Bank He pluckily left his bed
and his home yesterday morning to
go to his work at the bank. taking
with him certain articles which were
necessary at the bank during the day.
This act considerable physical exerticns
In his weakened condition, caused adj
ditional suffering and his chances for
early recovery are more remote. 1t 10
stated, than had he remained at home.
His illness was so serious that no
could not take his desk and he was
compelled because of his condition u
return home,
/ The poisoning of the Hall family
physicians, who have become ac-
auainted with the case say, la of 4
bacterial rather than a metallic ma
ture. The latter is often the case In
ptomaine poisoning.
The condition OF the sick late last
night warranted the prediction that
all will recover. and that they will
probably be able to be out within
day or two.