Evening star., 1943-06-19
Circus Goes On
As Food Poison
Victims Return
"a Remain in
Hospitals of
$50 Stricken

While Ringing Brothers and Bar
mum & Bailey Circus went ahead
this afternoon with all its acts re-
ported showing, some of the per-
formers among $50 circus people
stricken with food poisoning last
night were unable to appear. Un-
derstudies substituted for them
where necessary.
Among those still under medical
treatment was Baby Thelma Will
liams. the fat woman. She and eight
others were at Gallinger Hospital.
though their condition was reported
satisfactory
Casualty Hospital still had IS
patients. This hospital treated more
than 100 and kept most of them
overnight. Ninety had been released
by afternoon.
Performers awaiting release at
Casualty said most of those poisoned
were stricken before the show start
ed at 8:15 o'clock Many became
violently i'll around 7 o'clock, while
others did not feel the effects until
as late as $50, after they had gone
into the big top.
Some Acts Eliminated.
1t was necessary to eliminate sew
eral of the final acts, including the
Wallendas. stars Of the high wire,
and two closing spectacles, the pa
tients recalled because key men,
of re h1 tn
on. Although some performers be-
came sick while under the big top.
none of these, fortunately, was in
the more hazardous exhibitions, the
circus people said.
Two of the Wallendas were
stricken before their act was sched-
uled and the daring display was
Cancelled
Maj. Mite. noted midget. who was
strolling about the hospital eager to
get out after a violent seizure dur
ing the night, said he became i'll
while going through a clown rou-
tine
Everything began to look funny"
he said, but I managed to get out,
and I don't think any one noticed
anything wrong with me. If people
did, they probably thought it was
part of my act"
Among others stricken were Baby
Thelma, the 6l8-pound fat lady of
the sideshoW; Felix Adler, noted
clown; Wander Barbette, director of
the aerial ballet. Mr.. and Mrs. Fred
/ Bradna (Mr. Bradna is equestrian
director and Mrs. Bradna is rider,
and Fred De Wolfe. treasurer.
Meal Is Described.
The late afternoon meal was
served from to 6 o'clock in the cook
tent. 1t consisted Of flet of sole
and chicken salad with mayon-
naise. The circus freaks and side
show personnel, Workmen and per-
formers ate in the order named.
The night show was more than
half completed when the food
/ poisoning began claiming victims.
! AS the number of those taken out
/ side began to grow, circus officials
became alarmed. DR.. Joseph Ber-
gin, show physician, administered
! flrst-aid treatment to victims on
the scene
Those more violently i'll. suffering
stomach cramps, were rushed to
Casualty and Gallinger Hospitals in
/ ambulances. station wagons. scout
cars and private automobiles. Cas-
ualty Hospital became so crowded
near midnight that for the first time
the bombing and disaster ward on
the third floor was. utilized.
/ Show Goes On.
/ Spectators were unaware of what
was going on, and circus officials and
performers met the crisis in tho
finest the show must 60 on" tradi-
I ton.
/ When Fred Springer, radio an
nouncer and impresario, became i'll
! his place was taken by F. Beverly
Kelly, former newspaperman who
proved an acceptable substitute.
/ Merle Evans, director of the cir
Gus band. handed his baton over to a
band member and went outside the
/ tent for medical treatment. Hear
| ing what he believed to be sour
notes. he returned shortly forgot his
/ stomach ache and finished the per-
/ formance. Two members of the
armed services, members of the Navy
and Marine Bands. respectively, sub
stituted for two of the circus band
! and played instruments left by the
sick pair.
Students Help Nurses.
Allen Lester. press representative,
said today that nothing like this
ever happened before in our circus
of some $500 people
Senior medical students of George
Washington Hospital, forsook their
examinations in a building across
the street from Casualty Hospital,
and were called in to help, along
with nurses aides.
DR.. Christopher j. Murphy. assist
ant coroner was riding past Casualty
when he noticed crowd there. He
made an investigation. Informed
this morning that no casualties had
resulted from the wholesale poison
ing. DR., Murphy said he was happy
the incident passed off with a mini
mum of suffering.
Food poisoning usually is acci-
dental, It is one of those things that
happens in life he remarked.
Starting at midnight tonight, the
circus will start loading for a trip
to Baltimore, arriving there tomor-
row for weeks show starting
Monday.