POISONED MEAT

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 94, 15 January 1935, Page 10

POISONED MEAT

Fourteen Persons Become 111 ONE FAILS TO RECOVER Dominion Special Service. Dunedin, January 14. An unusual case of poisoning by which 14 persons were affected occurred in the Balclutha district last week, and as a result one man, Seaton Anthony Mills, died in the Balclutha Hospital on Saturday morning. Mills, who was 29 years of< age, was a married man witli three children. He was a sheep-farmer at Te Houka, and was well known in the district, having formerly resided in Balclutha. On Friday. January 4, deceased killed a two-tooth wether for consumption on the farm, and after covering it with cloth hung it In a shed. lie cut it down early the following morning to get a chop for breakfast, and the two families had roast mutton from the same carease for dinner that day. The same' afternoon “flaps” and shanks from the carcase were boiled up by Mrs. Robert Mills in an enamel boiler, after which they were pressed for potted meat in an earthenware bowl and salted. The following day. Sunday, Janmiry 6, Ibis meat was served for the dinner meal, to which 14 persons, six adults and eight children, sat down, the families of Messrs. Seaton and Robert Mills being augmented by that of their sister. Mrs. Ferguson, of Gore. It was a happy family reunion which was so soon to be followed by tragic consequences. Ry the evening every one of those 14 persons had suffered Mime ill effects from ihe eatir.g of the potted moat, and all except the deceased found themselves afflicted with (lysentry, although in this case it was less of an affliction than a salvation, for it undoubtedly prevented their poisoning having more serious effects.