Norwich bulletin., 1915-08-24

over a ulOnIA 6SO was SIdtC0 HI
The Bulletin. in connection with the
Westerly poisoning cases, that four
guinea pigs had died as a result OF
incubation with the germs in the
bacterial tests made by DIR. Bernstein,
to- determine the nature of the fatal
germ, and that the germs were in the
dough.
DR.. Henry Bernstein, state patholo-
gist, transmitted to the state board of
| health Monday, an official preliminary
report ON the poison epidemic which
resulted in four deaths and serious
illness of over seventy persons from
eating pie in a Westerly restaurant
He says the deaths and sickness were
| due to a germ which is one OF these
| that belong to the typhoid family.
DR. Bernstein says that further tests
with minimized animals are now in
process for the purpose of making the
diagnosis absolute as to which OF the
| typhoid group of germs were present
| in the pies. The agency by means OF
which this disease-producing germ
gained access to the food is a matter
| of conjecture the report state. DIR.
Bernstein says that the germs may
have been carried by a person in
fected with them.
ed shows positively that the germs were
in the dough or pie crust, or both.
The milk and pie shortening were
found to be free from the germ
1t is pointed out by DR.. Bernstein
| that the conditions connected with
| this test go to make up an unusual
case. He says that 1t is a very rare
case where a germ is gathered from
| foodstuffs with which to make the
| test, as it usually taken from the
blood Of the patient.
Four guinea pigs and one rabbit
| have thus far died as a result of in
| incubation with the germs in the bac1
/ THEOLOGICAL tests made by DIR. Bern
| stein to determine the nature of the
| fatal germ.
The samples taken from which the
J examinations were made were sub
mitted by tn Pure Food and Drug
Commission. The samples consisted
OF half pint jars partially filled with
milk, dough, pie shortening, cocoanut
/ custard pie filling and egg flour. The
milk was eliminated and the nsamples
| by various methods were made into
| different kinds of media and tried out
to see what germs would dedvelop.
| Some of the fnoculated media were
! then fncubated in the temperature of
an average room. One cubic cent?
| meter, which is about Is drops, of the
| culture containing the initial bacterial
I growth wah then injected under the
| skin of guinea pigs.
| The two animals inocuIated with
/ In9 bacterial QEOWLn PIE
| and dough died in Is hours Post
mortem examination revealed a mark
| ed swelling of the abdomen and well
/ developed peritonitis. Cultures taken
from the blood Of these same animals
showed the presence of certain germs.
i The guinea pigs inoculated with
i germs derived from the pie shorten
ing and egg flour survived This re-
| suit made it clear, the report states,
that the germs came from the dough
or the pie filling.
II Special media, known as Endo
| plates, were then used, and showed a
| growth of bacteria, which later prov
| ed to be the disease producers.
Il These germs, DR.. Bernstein says, were
/ found to be small, short rod-shaped
/ organismes. A pure culture of the
i germ, isolat ted from the pie mixture,
was made and tests to determine its
Il power of producing diseases in ami
mails were started.
One rabbit and two guinea pigs were
inoculated with this isolated culture.
II The guinea pigs died during the night.
I General peritonitis had developed in
each animal. The organism recovered
from the blood OF the pigs contained
the same germ characteristic as the
II one injected.
The rabbit died ~ hours after in
oculation. Cultures taken from the
rabbit were then subjected to tests
band the germs found there wer idnt-
ical with those injected. This shows
DIR. Bernstein says, that it was that
particular germ that caused the death
and that all three animals died from
the sameinfection.
Throughe4he courtesy of Or. A. .
Briggs OF AshaWay a specimen OF
blood taken from q patient who has
suffered an attack of ptomaine pois-
oning after eating the pie was OBJ
tanned. Although the blood was tax
en- twenty-four hours after the
appearance Of the symptoms the
blood gave positive reaction against
the isolated oganism.
This proves, DR.. Bernstein says, that
the patient was infected with a SINH
lar germ.
Ten specimens of dried blood were
received from DR.. Gardner T. Swarts
which were taken from patients made
i'll from eating Of the pies. Five Of
these showed complete reaction
against the isolated germs, three pro-
duced partial reaction and the othel
two were negative
It is worthy of note, the report
states, that all other observation.
were Similarly controlled and reOeaf.