FOOD POISONING CASES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18322, 12 February 1923, Page 6

FOOD POISONING CASES.

NINE PERSONS AFFECTED.

RECOVERY FROM ILLNESS.

ICES UNDER SUSPICION.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT ACTS.

Nine cases of what is believed to be food poisoning, due, it is suspected, to the eating of ice cream, occurred in Baker Street, off Nelson; Street, last week. The persons affected", who are all reported to be making favourable progress, are members of three families, all of whom ate a quantity of ice cream, obtained from the same source.

The families affected are those of Mr. G. W. Burgess, waterside worker, 13, Baker 'Street; Mr. M. Ward, timber worker, 21, Baker Street; and Mr. J. Seafont, diver, 12, Baker Street. On Wednesday memters of each family ate a quantity of ice cream, manufactured and sold at a shop in the neighbourhood. The first cases of sickness occurred on Thursday, and between that day and Saturday, the nine persons became more or less ill, the principal symptoms being severe pains in the head and stomach, accompanied by a marked rise in temperature. Medical aid was summoned and late on Saturday the police were notified. The matter was also reported to the Health Department, and the assistant medical officer of health, Dr. .T. Boyd, made an investigation of the circumstances. The two members of the Burgess family most severely affected are Mr. Burgess and his nine-year-old son, Norman. Two other sons. Alfred, aged 11, and Douglas, aged 3, suffered in a minor degree. Mr. Burgess took three or four spoonfuls of ice cream, and his son Norman ate about half a cupful. Mr. and Mrs. : Ward and their nine-year-old daughter, Hilda, and five-year-old son, Walter, ell become ill. Mr. Ward was making cood progress yesterday, but on Dr. Boyd's advice, the three other members of the family went to the district hospital. Last evening _ their condition was reported to be satisfactory. Mrs. Seafont was also reported last evening to be improving. Her daughter, _ who cJso ate a small quantity of the ice cream, did not experience any ill-effects. A member of a Vincent Street household and two visitors, who ate some ice cream, obtained from the same shop some days ago, stated that they felt rather ill afterwards, but there were no effects of a. serious nature. _ Under the direction of the Health authorities, no further sales' of ice cream will be made from the shop, pending the completion of a bacteriological examination of samples of the quantity remaining in stock, which was removed on Saturday evening.