COUPLE’S FATAL MEAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22720, 5 November 1935, Page 14

COUPLE’S FATAL MEAL

GERM CAUSES FOOD POISONING Disclosures concerning a germ described as probably the commonest organism to cause food poisoning were made at a London inquest oh Arthur Keeler and his wife, Rose,, both aged 24, of Mile End, who died' after eating a meal of meat and .vegetables. Dr Richard Lister Hewlett, the pathologist, stated that ho found the bacillus aertfj’cke in the organs of both of the victims. Tlio organism was very common in animals. ' “It does not affect the taste or the smell of the meat,” the doctor added, “ and people do not know that the meat has gone bad. The meat had probably become infected during the life of the animal. It is just possible, however, that it became contaminated by flies. Thorough cooking destroys the "organism.” Dr Frank SUiel stated that another family in the district were suffering from food poisoning caused by the same germ in fish. They were, however, not seriously ill. The jury found that the deaths were due to food poisoning, and returned a verdict of “ Accidental death ” in each case.