PTOMAINE POISONING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2539, 6 February 1923, Page 3

PTOMAINE POISONING.

WHOLE FAMILY AFFECTED,

THREE DEAD, OTHERS CRITICAL. Christchurch, Yesterday. A whole family was admitted to hospital on Sunday from North New Brighton, suffering apparently from ptomaine poisoning. They were: Michael Cooke, a dairyman, his wife and family of six children of ages ranging from 12 years to 19 months. Three have died since admission — Kenneth and Amy, twins, aged 19 months, and Maud, aged 8. All the others are in a critical condition. They had a meal on Saturday afternoon and immediately afterwards became violently sick. All are too ill to give an account of what occurred, or what was the nature of the food. FURTHER DETAILS. Christchurch, February 5. The father, Michael Cook, is a milk vendor. The poisoning was contracted at the evening meal on Friday, when the food eaten consisted of bread and butter, milk, blancmange, stewed fresh apricots and tea.

No meat or tinned food was eaten at the meal, and the effects of the poisoning were not felt until early on Saturday morning, when the whole family became seriously ill at. noon. All were in such a serious condition that a doctor was called in and ordered their removal to hospital. The first to succumb were twins and the youngest, Maud, died yesterday afternoon. Andrew, the youngest surviving, is in a critical condition and the remainder of the family are all seriously ill. Dr. Telford, local medical officer of heath, has obtained sampes of all the food in the house, and these will be analysed to trace how the poisoning originated. The hospital authorities reported this morning no change in the patients’ condition.