Norwich bulletin., 1915-07-15

epidemic and all showed symptoms Of
intestinal intoxication, and as many as
patients were probably suffering from
ptomaine and all ate at the GavItt res-
taura1lt on the bridge except one he
had treated before these cases devel-
oped. All but one OF the patients had
eaten clam chowder but no pie. He
ptoma1ne poisoning. He saw no indi-
cation Of arsenical poisoning.
DIR. Charles r. ConEdon testified that
he resided In Stonington for six years
and practiced medicine for 80 years.
He had been town health ofiicer for
sick from eating food that did not
agree with them, but It was difflcult
to draw the line between indigestion
and ptOmaine poisoning. He did not
know whether he had been called pri-
vately to attend a poisoning case but
he did. attend q case of what he be-
lieved to be acute indigestion. The
patient came from Potter Hill and had
stepped into a restaurant on the way
down and ate q piece of custard pie.
The patients name was Atnsworth.
As town health officer, the first know
physician that there were cases of
ptomaine poisoning. He WAS called up
by q Mr.. Brightman and the witness
considered he had been insulted. DIR.
Congdon consulted with the county
health officer and then made investiga-
ton of the restaurant and also bak-
er's shop in Pawcatuck. Mr.. Gavitf
showed him everything used in the
pies except the milk, which comes from
the John d. Avery farm. and was fully
examination he made of the restaurant
and of samples taken, which were sent
away for chemical examination to the
Connecticut experiment station. He
said he urged DR.. Little to notify DR..
Stanton when Mrs. Brfghtman died.
so that the coroner could be officially
notified to order an autopsy.
Attended the Brightmans.
DR.. Herman C. Little, pracdcing
physician four years, and in Stoning
ton two years, was called to the
Brightman house early in the morning
Of July 9Th. He was of opinion that
Mr.. and Mrs. Brightman were sick
from eating something that did not
agree with them and that they were
suffering from ptomaine poisoning.
Both had eaten In the Gavitt restau-
rant on Sunday and they had eaten
custard pie with their driver. He
observed somewhat similar hymptons
in Charles H. Cowan. He had eaten
half a fish cake in the Gavitt restau-
rant. Witness notified Medical Exam
liner Stanton of the deaths of Mr.. and
Mrs Brightn1an some hours after their
occurrence. DR.. Stanton tried to reach
Coroner Brown, but could not do so
before the day after the death. Mr..
Brtghtman's body was emba1med be-
fore notice was given the medical ex-
aminer. The Brightman brothers would
not have objected to the autopsy If it
was proposed sooner after the deaths.
DIR. John L. May, testified that he
had been a practtcing physician for
fourteen years. He described the
symptoms of ptomaine poisoning, and
also of arsenical poisoning. He had
attended many patients, about twenty
within the last ten days and all had
probably been affected with ptomaine
poisoning from pies that came from
the Gavitt restaurant Before the au-
topsy, Mr.. Sullivan, probably suffered
from ptomaine poison, and that the
autopsy also indicated arsenic. It is
difficult to determine the line between
arsenical and ptomaine poisoning in
these cases.
Two Daughters Taken Sick.
Mrs. William P. Welles of Old Mys-
tic with two oldest daughters, ate pie
in the Gavitt restaurant. The wit
ness was not affected but her two
said her two daughters suffered from
ptomaine poisoning.
John Bennett, of Westerly testified
he was a carpenter by trade. He tes-
titled that he ate cuStard pie on Mon
day at his brother-in-1aw's Captain
#, Wilcox, and that the pie came from
Gavitt's restaurant. He became very
sick and the physician said it was
case of ptomaine poisoning.
Four Sick After Eating Pie.
Mrs. Mary ]. Clark, of Pawcatuck,
testified that she ate a. piece of lemon
pie that came from the Gavitt res
taurant and two of her daughters also
ate of the pie. All were taken sick
and they were attended by DR.. Scan
Ion who said they were suffering from
ptomaine poisoning. Froncois Salve-
cque, of Fail River, $50 Broad street,
who was a visitor, was taken sick up
on his return home.
Sick In Ten Hours.
John J. Murphy, of Westerly, testi-
fled he had eaten cocoanut custard pie
in the Gavitt restaurant July with
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