FOOD POISONING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21983, 14 December 1934, Page 12

FOOD POISONING

MEMBERS OF FAMILY DEATH OF THE MOTHER THREE OTHERS AFFECTED PROGRESS TO RECOVERY BAFFLING PUKEKOHE CASE [from our own corrkspondknt] PUKEKOHE, Thursday Four members of a Pukekohe family were admitted to the Auckland Hospital at an early hour this morning suffering apparently from the effects of food poisoning, and the mother died some hours later. Their names are!— Dkaij Mrs. Lucy Nicholson, aged 48, wife of Mr. Norman Nicholson, of Pukekohe East. Patients in Hospital Mr. Norman Nicholson, aged 48. Mr. Eric Nicholson, a son, aged 24. Mrs. Norma Dennison, aged 22, of Glen Afton, a daughter. Mr. Nicholson and his son and daughter were reported this afternoon to bo' out of danger. All four partook of a meal on Monday evening which comprised a joint of cold roast beef, potatoes, Spanish cream, sponge cake, tea, butter, sugar and home-made lemon drink. Mrs. Nicholson and her son and daughter became ill at about 4 o'clock on Tuesday morning, but Mr. Nicholson, sen., was not affected until 5 o'clock on the same evening. The family had eaten no tinned food nor was there any in the house. Examination by Analyst Dr. H. Stewart Douglas, of Pukekolie, was called on Tuesday afternoon and treated the family until last night when at midnight he ordered their removal to the hospital. A St. John ambulance took the family away at 2 a.m. Mrs. Nicholson died eight hours later. This afternoon Constable W. Mawhinney, of Pukekohe, made investigations at the house occupied by the family and took possession of the remainder of the joint and other food which remained from the meal on Monday evening. Samples of the food were handed this afternoon to the district health officer, Mr. R. J. McGee, who will forward them to Auckland for analysis. The water supply, which is drawn from tanks, was not sampled because the constable did not have the special apparatus necessary. Meat Under Suspicion The police are assured by Dr. Douglas that the family's illness has been caused by food poisoning. At present the meat is suspected as the cause. The joint was delivered early on Saturday morning, but it is not known when it was cooked. While the family were ill at the house they were cared for by Mrs. W. J. Flay, who lives near by. She was joined yesterday morning by Mrs. Dennison's husband, Mr. Roy Dennison. Mr. andMra. Nicholson have worked their farm at Pukekohe East for a little over two years. Before that they conducted a small business in Christchuroh for a year and previously for the greater part of his life, Mr. Nicholson was engaged at plumbing in various South Island towns. An inquest concerning the death of Mrs. Nicholson will be opened at Auckland by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., coroner, at 9.15 to-morrow morning.

PROTECTION OF FOOD ' HEALTH OFFICIAL'S ADVICE ."It is not yet proved that food poisoning is responsible for the illness of the family, but that is the suspected cause," a Heajth Department official said yesterday. "It will take some time, possibly days, before it can be definitely established whether or not' food poisoning is the trouble," h© added. An inspector of the Health Department went to Pukekohe yesterday and took samples of various foodstuffs found in the house for immediate analysis, the official said. As far as was known, the occupants of the particular house were the only ones to suffer. "There is a popular misapprehension regarding ptomaine poisoning and food poisoning," he continued. "Many people think that they are one and the same thing, whereas they are two distinct diseases. Food poisoning, strictly speaking, is,due to a definite infection by a germ of that group. Ptomaine poisoning is due to putrefactive toxins, and in human beings is caused chiefly by eating food that has been in defective tins, or any food beginning to decompose. "Apart from the usual precautions taken by the average householder, there is nothing to give as a guide about food poisoning. Food that appqjirs sound may possibly be infected. The modo of infection is generally by flies coming into contact with food after they have been among contaminated refuse.

"The main precaution to take is to exclude flies by keeping food in a proper safe. The risk of infection is greater after food, particularly meat, has been cooked, because the germs will get right through it. If meat is infected before cooking, however, the germs will be/on the outside and tho roasting will probably kill them. When food has been cooked, it is very important to protect it from flies."