SAMOAN TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 58, 7 February 1925, Page 7

SAMOAN TRAGEDY.

OXALIC ACID IN PANCAKES. A very sad fatality is reported from Western Samoa. It seems that a black boy who was a servant of Mr and Mrs 0. Yandall, of Fagalii plantation, Apia, made some pancakes, which were partaken of by the family. Whether the poison was given by a neighbouring Chinese or not is not known, but the fact is clear that in making the pancakes the cook used salts of lemon (which contains oxalic- acid), and that for breakfast on Tuesday morning all members of the family partook of the cakes. Before 9 o'clock the sufferers were all in hospital. At 2 p.m. the same day the death occurred of Mary Yandall, aged 6 years; the next fatality was Joseph, aged 2 years, who died at 4 p.m.; and at 9.30 that night the third victim, Otto, aged 4 years, succumbed. Altogether eleven members of the household were affected, those outside the family being the cookboy, two Samoan boys and a little Samoan girl. Fortunately tho other members affected have made good progress, and little Grace Yandall is now the only sufferer who is causing anxiety. The rest of the family and servants, including the two parents, are still in the hospital by latest reports.