Evening star., 1934-07-09
DISTRICT PROBES
POISONING Of 50
BY BUREAU MEAL
All Victims Reported Out Of
Danger-Nine Taken
to Hospitals.
NEARLY 200 AFFECTED
IN CASE 2 WEEKS AGO
Chemists Test Food, Said to Have
Been Passed by Govern
ment Inspectors.

The second case OF wholesale food
poisoning at the Transient Bureau
within two weeks was being investi-
gated by four inspectors of the Dis
trict Health Department today after
nine men were sent to hospitals and
so others treated at the bureau for a
violent illness which followed their
supper last night. All the victims
were reported out of danger this
morning.
Thirty-five of the men affected
were members of a contingent of &c
ex-service men being fed and shell
tered temporarily in the bureaus
lodge at 479 C street pending their
admission to Civilian Conservation
Corps camps in this area. This group
is headed by Roy Robertson, California
leader of the bonus army death
march" here in 1882
Illness began to seize the men at
$50 o'clock and from then until 2
am. there was brisk work for two
Transient Bureau doctors and several
internes from Emergency and Cas-
ualty Hospitals.
Nine Taken to Hospital.
The nine men requiring hospital at
tention, all of whom were reported re-
covering today, were:
Edward F. Leddy, Providence, r. l.:
Charles Mcdonald. Springfield. Ohio;
James Hendron, Boston, Mass: Au-
gust Schleger, New York City: James
McGully, New York City: Sam Ber-
naski. New York City; Herbert Nc
erty, New York City, and Howard
Brewster, Milwaukee, Wis. The men
we're treated at Emergency and Cas-
ualty Hospitals.
A somewhat similar wave of food
poisoning swept the bureau two weeks
ago. At that time virtually all zoe
men who had partaken of food there
were affected. but no violent illnesses
occurred and the bureau staff was
able to cope with the situation
Curiously enough, 200 men were fec
on the same menu last night-potato
salad, cold meat cuts, sliced peaches
and coffee, and none who ate with
the first shift at Sis pm. was af-
fected. About half of those who
dined with the second shift at G
o'clock became i'll.
A. S. Rosichan, supervisor of the
bureau, declared today the bureaus
two physicians and one orderly could
have handled the situation last night
without outside assistance.
However" Rosichan said, Robert
son sent for the police and insisted
that hospital assistance be called in
Ambulances responded from Emer-
gency and Casualty Hospitals. and
another was sent from the Board OF
Public Welfare Patrol wagons also
we're sent to the bureau from Nos
l, 3, 4 and 9 precincts, but were not
needed.
In statement issued through the
office of Elwood Street, director of
public welfare, RoSichan said in part :
The cause of the incident is as
yet undetermined. The same menu,
consisting of potato salad cold cuts.
sliced peaches and coffee was served
at all seven kitchens maintained by
the bureau and in none of the others
was there any illness.
Chemists Test Food.
"All foods served will be tested i'm
mediately by District chemists in an
effort to determine the cause. The
bureau doctors have been puzzled by
the fact that only a few of the men
were taken i'll, as food poisoning
usually affects all individuals served
a particular meal"
DR.. William c. Fowler. District
health officer, said thorough investi-
cation would be made 1t was said
that the food was purchased under
Government contract and Govern
ment inspection.
officials were investigating the pos
sibility that the potato salad might
nave become contaminated through
contact with metal container.