1030 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [4] 



Dr. Schaumont and Dr. Peborde save to the sick a draught composed 

 of six drops of ether and eight drops of tincture of opium dissolved in 

 a little water, and followed this up by some tea. In the morning there 

 was a very noticeable improvement in all the patients. On the 21st only 

 36 were sick ; on the 22d, 27 ; on the 23d, 10 ; the 24th, 15; the 25th, 14 ; the 

 26th, 7 ; and on the 27th, 4, who were all convalescent on May 1. 



After having administered the most urgent remedies, Dr. Schaumont 

 inquired what had occurred on the 19th, and learned that the men had 

 gone to target practice in the afternoon. None of them had experi- 

 enced the least inconvenience before dinner, although the heat on that 

 day was excessive. 



In the evening they had taken their principal meal, composed of cod- 

 fish, potatoes fried in lard, and wine. In the morning of April 20 sev- 

 eral dishes containing some of the food which had not been touched 

 since the evening were taken to the pharmacy of the military hospital 

 to be subjected to an analysis, as well as samples of the wine, lard, and 

 codfish from the stores of the commissary of the Foreign Legion. It was 

 found that neither the wine nor the lard (which was white and free from 

 bad odor) contained any poisonous matter. The potatoes were in per- 

 fectly good condition. No copper utensil had been used in cooking any 

 of the victuals. But when the dishes were opened an exceedingly 

 strong and very disagreeable odor was noticed at once, reminding one 

 of putrefying matter. 



The sample of codfish from the commissary was examined next. By 

 its external appearance it might deceive an unskilled eye. When sub- 

 jected to a careful examination, and broken into two parts its entire 

 length, it showed towards the middle a grayish portion, measuring al- 

 most six centimeters [2£ inches] in diameter, and completely decayed. 

 When opened it exhaled a sickening odor. No poisonous substance 

 was discovered in this analysis. It was, therefore, an evident case of 

 spoiled codfish. 



From the above facts Dr. Schaumont arrived at the conclusion that 

 the cases of sickness which occurred in the night of April 19 were caused 

 by accidental poisoning by putrid codfish, which opinion was confirmed 

 by the circumstance that none of the officers, who had a mess of their 

 own and had not partaken of codfish, were in the least indisposed. 



(4) Case reported by Dr. Bertherand, of Algiers. 



While on a tour of inspection of the military grocery stores, Dr. 

 Bertherand ate codfish with a white sauce, which produced colic and 

 diarrhea. The symptoms consisted in "violent pain in the stomach* 

 incessant bilious vomiting, frequent attacks of diarrhea, accompanied 

 by a very painful tenesmus; general collapse, excessive thirst, dysphagy, 

 acrid taste, a burning sensation along the entire esophagus, general 

 cramps, and very cold extremities." 



