BERLIN POISON EPIDEMIC.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1400, 28 March 1912, Page 5

BERLIN POISON EPIDEMIC.

J FIVE ARRESTS MADE, , I > i Dy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright .! ' (Rec. March 27, 10.45 p.m.) ! Berlin, March 2". i In connection with the death of niilely- , * two paupers from poisoning in tho Berlin and Charlottenberg municipal shelters nt < Christmas, Julius Scharmach, a chemist and tho maker of methylated' alcohol, ■ two commercial travellers, and (wo publicans havo been arraigned for fraud, Tho polico authorities (wrote tho Berlin correspondent of "Tho Times" on January < 2) now consider that they havo found in a public-houso near the municipal refuga ' the source of tho mysterious epidemic ( which has boon causing so many illnesses ' and deaths during the nasi week. On ! testing certain spirits sold for consumption, a polico commissary found that , they contained a -largo proporlioA' of 5 meihvlated spirit. He then proceeded to tho distillery in Charlottonburg, when* ; the drink was supplied, and discovered i in tho cellars a largo quantity of "schnapps," containing methylated spirits in tho proportion of two to one. 'Phis poisonous compound somiis to havo been supplied to a number of retail hnus.es, so ( ! that it is hoped that (lie problem of tho wido distribution of the cases of illnoss , has been solved. '