Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-03-18
LOCK OUT FOR
POISON IN FOOD
Federal Food Officials Warn Con-
sumsrs to Watca for Sg.;s
of S.luiiase.
RIFE Olives KILL sE1ii'H':..L
BotuIinus Poison Responsive for Fa-
taIfties--No Method Of Preserving
Food Found That eliminates
Occasional Spoiled Package.

Observation-Disclosures poisoning,
which recently killed six In one fam
lily in New York, Is caused by eat
ing spoiled food Infected with the la
cillus botullnus, say the officials Of
the bureau of chemistry. United States
department Of agriculture. WHO have
investigated this and other polsoning
cases In connection with the enforce
ment Of the food and drugs act In
the New York case death was caused
fy botulinns poison in ripe olives.
The olives remaining I'm the bottle in
this case had an offensive odor. The
same condition Was found In the food
In other cases investigated by the de-
partment. All spoiled food does not
contain this poison. but any spoiled
food. even though the spoilage he
slight. may contain II. and for this
reason. say the officials. all foot show
Ing even the slightest unnatural Od"r,
unnatural color swelling Of the c'n-
tainer. sign of gas or anv evidence
Of decomposition whatever. should be
discarded.
Trace Poisonous Food.
The department Of agriculture hns
used every possible effort and gone 10
the limit of its legal authority to re-
move all dangerous foods from the
market by seizure under the food and
drugs act, say the officials. Each time
when h0tulnus poisoning has occurred
food inspectors have traced through
the channels Of commerce the batch
from which the poisonous food came
and have used all measures under
the law to remove 1t from the market.
Samples from all other brands put
out by the packer have been examined.
Since the law authorizes seizure in
such cases only when the foods are
actually found to be dec0mpOsed or
to contain poisonous ingredients, since
only an occasional package in millions
is Infected with bacillus bOtnlinus,
and since it Is physically possible to
open and examine but comparatively
few of the millions Of cans entering
interstate commerce. it is beyond the
power of the authorities to protect
the public completely. For this rea-
son they emphasize the necessity for
scrnpulOus care on the part Of per-
sons opening and serving foods tn dis,
card anything which is spoiled. In
products not obviously spoiled. If there
Is doubt In the recognition of the ndor,
proper to the product, thorough cook.
Ing will remove the possibility OF dan.
ger from bOtulism. If spoilage Is APP
parent, destruction Is recommended hy
the specialists.
Mystery About II.
Nobody knows just how the hacil:
ns botulinus gets into any particu-
lar food. 1t has been found In arti.
Giles put up in the home by the care
ful housewife and In goods packed in
commercial establishments. 1t may
he present In fcw packages only of
nny lot. There Is no method. the Off
Gals say. by which the packers or
home Gamers can assure themselves
by casual examination before canning
that the product does not contain the
bacillus bOtulinus.
If the food was In all cases proner-
ly sterllized and perfectly sealed. the
development Of the poison would be
impossible, hut no method OF preserv-
ing food has vet been found. the
specialists say. that eliminates the oc-
casonal spoiled package. Failure to
sterilize may not become apparent for
weeks, or even months after the cam
ming Of the article. If signs Of spoil
age have appeared when the can Is
onered. 1t is clear warning that the
product is no longer edible. There Is
no greater probability Of botulinns
poisoning in olives than In many other
food products, either commercial or
domestic Until this year It has been
more commonly found In string beans,
asparagus. and the like. 1t was original
~ found In sausage. 1t has been found
in cheese: II Is present sometimes
In stock food. such as moldy hay and
other kinds Of spoiled forage, hut 1t
has never been found in the depart.
ment Investigations In any kind of
food that was not spoiled.