PTOMAINE PATIENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21130, 12 March 1932, Page 10

PTOMAINE PATIENTS.

ALL MAKING PROGRESS. TONGUE WON IN A RAFFLE. AN ANALYSIS OF THE FOOD. The seven patients who are suffering from ptomaine poisoning are still confined to the Auckland Hospital, where their condition is being closely watched. Mr. L. G. Dunn and his son, Mr. L. J. Dunn, show considerable improvement.Mrs. Jessie Richards and the boy, George Dunn, are now out of danger and making progress. Mrs. Dunn, Miss Nelson and the girl, Doreen Dunn, have made a complete recovery, but remain in hospital in case of developments. Mr. Dunn stated yesterday that the evening meal consisted of pickled pork and boiled tongue. He was satisfied that poisoning was caused by the tongue, ai he himself did not eat any of the pork. The family, he said, did not purchase the tongue, as it was won by Mrs. Dunn in a raffle at a croquet club. It seemedperfectly fresh when it was eaten at teatime, and no one commented upon it at the time. Mr. Dunn, who was for many years an officer of the St. John Ambulance As« sociation, administered simple remedies to the members of his household as soon as they became ill and continued, when ha himself was helpless, to give instructions for the administration of quantities oi salt and water to the patients. When the remainder of the tongue from which the meal was made was examined six hours afterwards it was in a partlydecomposed condition. An analysis of the edibles is being made by Dr. W. Gilmour, pathologist for the Auckland Hospital. The Health Department is also inquiring into the case, but until ths result of the analysis is made known no comment from the department is forthcoming.