The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-11

Memphis is being included in a ma
tionwide survey to determine the ex-
tent of danger lurking in ripe olive
poisoning which has just caused sew
en- deaths in Memphis, others previous
ly in other parts of the country, and
which, it is feared may cause more
deaths If the evil is not thoroughly in
vestigated and proper preventive meas
ures. Federal inspectors from the de-
partment of chemistry are investigating
the situation.
Meanwhile the state department of
pure food and inspection is by no
means idle. Seizure of ripe olive
stocks in Nashville already have been
made and are possible i'll Memphis and
other cities of the state.
City authorities Wednesday morning
had received no advices from the state
food commissioner at Nashville rela-
olives in Memphis following the death
Of seven persons here from eating the
poison fruit Mayor Paine stated We'd
| nesday that further investigation was
being made into the matter following
1.-THE conference Tuesday between the
| mayor. DR.. ]. T.. Andrews, superinten-
dent Of the board of health, +. A. Man
ltel city chemist; Alexander B. Stew
art, president of the Curtis Olive cor
| poration, Los Angeles, and Inspector
| Gray of the department of agriculture.
Mr.. Mantel Wednesday expressed the
private opinion that it would be un-
fair to stop the sale of olives partic-
ularly those put up In tin cans. These,
he pointed out, were subjected to steri-
| liZation for a period of 40 minutes al a
temperature of $40 degrees.
This high pressure sterilization can
| not, of course, be accomplished where
| the olives are put up in glass jars
but since the deaths in Detroit last
! fall the brine solution has been in
creased from a strength of between two
| and three per cent to between six and
| seven per cent. This improvement in
| packing methods minimizes the proba-
| bility of botuinus infections but does
not obviate it entirely, whereas, the
| 4O-minute boiling at a temperature of
$40 degrees will kill any germ, the
| city chemist says.
The attention of The News Scimitar
was called to the fact that the name
of the firm packing the olives which
| caused the seven deaths in Memphis Is
| the Curtis Olive corporation of Los An
geles. Inadvertently The New Scim-
| itar on Tuesday spelled the name Cur
| tice. The Curtis Olive corporation is
.not> to be confused with the firm of
| Curtce Brothers of Rochester, n. Y.
Indications Wednesday were that the
city will take no active steps looking
to the removal of ripe olives from the
| local market. The reasons for this are
| several. In the first place, it is point
ed out that the demand for ripe olives
has been reduced to almost nothing be-
cause of the deaths in Memphis and
for the further reason that it is highly
improbable that other jars of poisoned
olives will be found. AS stated by Mr..
| Stewart on Tuesday. only five jars OF
poisoned olives have been discovered out
Of the 2O,OO0OOO jars packed by the
Curtis Olive corporation during the year
The greater portion of the olives packed
in the low percentage solution have
been removed from the market and not
only the canning industry but the fed
eral government and city governments
as well have sent out warnings and
methods Of detecting olives that are
contaminated with the botulnus germs
Both Mayor Paine and City Chemist
Mantel have requested that publicity
be given to the fact that olives mpreg-
mated with botulinus germs give off a
very offensive odor which Is easily dis
tinguished from the smell of ripe olives
that are wholesome. Due care should
be exercised in the preparation Of any
canned goods before serving as food
and where the least taint is discovered
the entire can should be destroyed.
Pending advces from the state food
commissioner at Nashville and possible
action by the federal government, the
|
done for the present in the matter. The
city chemist has isolated the botulinus
germ and has satisfied the city author.
tiles beyond the shadow of a doubt that
these germs were present in the olives
served at the Inflated luncheon on lasI
Thursday and caused the death of sever
persons.
Local officials. in effort to fix respon.
sibilty for the seven deaths which have
occurred in Memphis, have reached theil
ropes end
+. A. Mantel, city chemist. has prover
conclusively that botulism, caused by
virulent bacillus, caused the deaths II
Memphis,
Alexander B. Stewart. of Los Angeles
Cal, president of the Curtis Olive cor
poration, which canned the olives, ad
mits they were bad, but maintains tina
the same conditions might exist in othe
canned goods, and no evidence here ha
been found to point to Contributory neg
ligence.
The same is true of jobbers and deal
ers Gho handled and sold the fruit limo
! Gently.
Nothing has been found irregula
about the shipments, and housewife
are being warned to be careful in tn
use and preparation of similar cannet
| foods likely to be contaminated.
Funeral services for Mrs Eugcn
| Ivy, the seventh and last victim Of poi
| son ripe olives, We're held WedneSda
morning at 10 o'clock at the home 0
her sister. Mrs. J. G. Morton. 2ll3 Mel
: son avenue, where Mrs Ivy died a
4:30 o'clock Monday morning.
Rev William Grove of the ldlewi
, Presbyterian church. conducted tn
services, at the conclusion OF whic
r another gray hearse from J. w. Nor
ris e. Co.'S undertaking establish
ment, followed by other automobiles
} slowly wended its way to the plot o
ground in Forest Hill cemetery, wher
) Mrs. lvy's husband and 10-year old son