, 1924-07-16

Outbreaks of food poisoning led
the canning industry of this country
in 1919 to propose and finance a
thorough investigation of botulism.
Original plans for the study covered
only the state of California, but sub
sequent changes included the entire
United States. In the report of the
commissioners recently Issued it is
pointed out that ninety-one out
breaks of botulism have occurred in
this country and Canada since 1899,
and that 345 persons have been af-
r fected, 213 of whom died. Plant
food products were proved or as
signed as the cause in SO of these
outbreaks, and animal food pro-
ducts in 10. Home canned string
beans lead the unfortunate list with
seventeen outbreaks to their credit;
home-canned corn is second with 9;
commercially picked and bottled
ripe olives are third with Z; then
come commercially packed spinach,
six; home canned asparagus, five;
commercially canned string beans,
three, and SO on to a total of 81
outbreaks accredited to home pro-
ducts, inc thirty-one to commercial
ly canned goods.
Although forty-five of these out
breaks occurred in California and
thirteen in Washington, botulism is
by no means a problem of these
states alone. Botulism, either human
or animal, has occurred in all states
of the union except fourteen. Ag-
faTt1ftr n nrnltatG Ia aArtofp -
are un~questionably more heavily
contaminated with b. botulinus
spores than in others, but the or
ganism seems to exist in nearly all
parts of the earth. The California
investigation disclosed information
that is not ordinarily assessible. 1t
is possible that botulism would be
discovered where it is not yet re
ported if similar Investigations were
made in those states.
The prevailing idea that food
must be visibly spoiled to be toxic
is not entirely supported by this in
vestigation. In some instances, bot
ulism developed from eating canned
food which by odor, taste and sight
presented no evidence of being
spoiled. In a majority of instances,
however, the canned products were
spoiled so as to readily attrack at
tention, and were said to be "a lit
tie sour or with "odor unpleasant
taste not right" n dor but
tastes metallic" and top of jar
mouldy; lower portion tastes bitter"
A mere taste of the food in some
instances led to fatal botulism,
while the same food when cooked
was harmless. Botulism from or
binary commercially packed fruits,
and such vegetables as tomatoes,
was o disclosed by this investiga-
ton, although numerous persons
probably INCEST B. botulinus spores
on raw vegetables and fruits. 1t is
therefore strong evidence that bot
ulism is always preceded by the
consumption of preserved food that
contains B. botulinus toxin. other
wise, cases of botulism with no his
tory of eating canned food, none of
which were discovered in this in
festation, would be numerous.
The recorded case mortality rate
of botulism in the United States is
61.7 per cent, and is surprisingly
uniform. 1t varies, however in diff
ferent group outbreaks from zero
to 100 per cent, and apparently de-
ponds on the amount of toxin in
gested. In SIS per cent of 173 fatal
cases, symptoms of botulism APP
peared within forty-eight hours aft
er the GOO was consumed.
A%ntitoxin has been administered
in eleven outbreaks of botulism. In
two instances Type B antitoXin was
injected in what was later shown to
be a Type A intoxication. In three
instances details of administering
the antitoXin has not been pub
lished. There has beer six outbreaks
of botulism in which homologous
antitoXin was used, and these af-
ford the only reliable data concern
ing its effectiveness in combating
= the disease. In these outbreaks 81
persons became ill and 23 died, IT
before antitoxin could be obtained,
and 6 after it's administration. One
person recovered without any anti
toxin, and six after it was used.
In none of these cases was the
antitoxin available until at least
four days after the toxic food had
been ingested.
For the prevention of botulism,
cleanliness. sound materials and
thorough processing of food are in
~dispensible. Spoiled canned food is
not safe until all parts have been
at the boiling point from 30 to AS
minutes. The time depends some
what upon the bulk, the size of the
container, the altitude and other
variable factors. Present regula-