The Washington times., 1921-07-18
MYSTERY
ILLNESS Of.
GOVT. GIRLS
1925 Stricken In U. S. Hotel.
Probe Started by Health
Officials.

mystery To-Day surrounds the Ill
ness of 125 girls at the Government
Hotels for Women, many of whom
are confined to their beds. Since
Saturday night the hotel infirmary
has received a constant stream Of
calls for medical aid, and up untif
late this morning calls were still
coming in.
Most Of those stricken report vio-
lent stomach pains and other trou-
bles. Physicians assigned to the
infirmary thought at first the girls
were suffering from ptomaine pois-
on, but ar investigation disapproved
this theory. The illnesses are
diagnosed as intestinal upsets.
Begin Investigation.
Word of the sickness reached DR..
William G. Fowler. District Health
Officer. this morning, and an in
vestigation is now under way by
DR.. Lewis A. Newfield. assistant
health officer. and DIR. r. r. Ash
worth, chief food inspector.
So Tar as can be learned, none Of
the girls Is seriously Ill. Some Of
those who reported sick Saturday
night have returned to work, but
there are many others who have
not left their rooms and are being
constantly attended by their friends
and hotel nurses.
Food Is Analysed.
crab meat, pork, and liver. all of
which were served to the girls Friday
and Saturday. were taken today to
the Health Department. where labora-
tory tests will be made. Physicians of
the Health Department advance the
theory that the illness was cause by
some of the food served in the hotel
dining rooms.
The first sickness was reported to
the infirmary Saturday night. Miss
Jennie Green, in the P-Q building,
suffering from violent pains in the
stomach. called for aid. This call
came at O'Clock, and before mid.
night forty cases Of illness had been
reported.
The next morning thirty more
girls reported i'll, and throughout the
afternoon other calls were received.
This morning several more cases were
brought to the attention of nurses at
the institution.
Crab Flake Blamed.
Many of the girls at the dormi-
tories attributed their illness to the
fact that on Friday night crab flake
salad and ice cream were served to-
gether. However. the belief that this
combination will result in illness was
exploded some years ago by experts
OF the Department of Agriculture.
Health Department officials today
endeavored TO learn just what food
all of the i'll girls ate. Inquiries fail
ed to reveal that all of the sick patti
ents partdok of any particular dish
served. 1t appears from an hurried
Investigation, however, that all of
the girls ate either Ice cream or milk.
Mrs. Sarah Sumner, general man
ager of the hospital. told health nf.
ficials today that II was not an un.
common thing to have thirty or forty
girls TO report i'll on Monday MORN.
ing She said that such a large
number OF cases had never been re-
ported before. and she urged that
the Health Department make a very
thorough investigation.
Asks Thorough Probe.
"I am very anxious to know
whether anl of the food served caus.
cd the sickness" Mrs. Sumner said,
"and I want very thorough inves-
tigatlon made"
Miss French, dieutiop of the dor,
accompanied the health o.
ficers in an inspection of the dining
room and Kitchens in the Plaza
group. She told of several employees
of the kitchen who were stricl<. VI
Saturday afternoon. Both of these
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