The Washington times., 1920-02-10
By Cynthia
StOckley


Samples from all other brands put
out by the packer have been ex-
smined. Since the law authorizes
seizire In such cases only when the
foods are actually found TO be de-
composed or to contain poisonous
ingredients. since only an occa-
sional package In millions IL infect
ed with bacillus botullnus. and
since II Is physically possible to
open and examine but a COMPARE
lively few OF the millions OF cans
entering interstate commerce, II 10
beyond the power or the authori-
ties to protect the public complete
ly. For this reason they empha-
size the necessity for scrupulous
care on the part of persons open
Ing and serving foods to discard
anything which Is spoiled. In
products not obviously spoiled, II
there Is doubt in the recognition Of
the odor proper TO the product.
thorough cooking will remove the
possibility OF danger from botulism.
III spoilage Is apparent, destruction
Is recommended by the specialists.
Csss.I'ExamInatis Ineffective.
Nobody knows just how the ba-
cilius botulinus gets into any par
ticular food II has been found in
articles put up in the home by the
careful housewife and in goods
packed in commercial establish
ments. 1t may be present in a few
packages only OF any lot. There Is
no method by which the packers
or home Gamers can assure them
selves by casual examination be-
la.
not contain bacillus botulinus.
II the food were in all cases
properly sterilized and perfectly
sealed the development of the
poison would be impossible, but no
method Of preserving food has yet
been found that eliminates the oc-
casional spoiled packages. Failure
to sterilize may not become ap-
parent for weeks or even months
after the canning Of the articles. If
signs of spoilage have appeared
when the can is opened. 1t is clear
warning that the product is no
longer edible. There Is no greater
probability Of botulinus poisoning
in olives than in may other food
products, either commercial or do
mestic. Until this year it has been
more commonly found in string
beans, asparagus, and the like. 1t
was originally found in sausage. II
has been found in cheese; IL is
present sometimes in stock food,
such as moldy hay and other kinds
of spoiled forage. but 1t has never
been found in the department in
yestigations In any kind OF food
tfrat was not spoiled.
The, serum that saved the life Of
Lena Delbane, after the other six
members of her family had died
from eating poisonous olives in
New York, was made in the United
States Department Of Agriculture
from the blood Of a sheep that had
been immunized against bacillus
botulinus poisoning. The serum was
rushed to New York by the Bureau
Of Animal Industry on request from
the United States Public Health
Service. Three members of the Del
bane. family were alive when the
request was made but one Of
these died before the serum reached
New York and another was so
nearly dead that treatment was un-
availing. The little girl was the
only one with sufficient vitality
left to make possible a test Of the
efficacy of the serum.
The Department of Agriculture
happened to have the life-saving
serum because Of the fact that the
bacillus botulinus Is suspected of
causing what Is known as forage
poisoning Of horses. In investigat-
ing that subject, tho scientists OF
the Bureau OF Animal Industry
made extensive experiments with
serums. 1t was discovered that
there are two strains OF the bacil-
lus botulinus. They look alike and
the poisons they create produce the
same effect. but immunixation
against one does not afford immu-
nization against the other. The two
strains are commonly referred to
around the bureau as "the olive
strain" and "the cheese strain" or
sometimes as "strain A" and
strain B."
The three recent Instances Of
olive poisoning-one in Michigan.
one in Ohio. and the third in Mon
tana-were all caused by "the olive
strain" or "strain A" Of the bacillus
botulinus. The veterinarians. there
fore, were reasonably certain that
the serum affording protection
against the poison generated by
strain A. botulinus would be ef-
fective in the New York cases, and
IL proved to be so in the case where
1t could be given fair trial.