CHAPTER XXVIII 



BACTERIAL FOOD POISONS 



ALTHOUGH poisoning occasionally results from mineral 

 poisons accidentally present in food, and poisoning may 

 also be caused by fungi, by far the largest proportion of 

 cases of food poisoning are due to bacteria which develop 

 on animal or vegetable foods. Among these are certain 

 types which produce powerful toxins analogous to diph- 

 theria or tetanus toxins. All dead organic matter offers 

 an excellent culture-medium for the growth of bacteria, 

 and only careful storing and thorough cooking will pre- 

 vent their development and the mischief they cause. 



The Bacillus enteritidis was found by Gartner to be 

 the cause of a severe epidemic of food poisoning, and was 

 .traced to meat from a diseased cow. This organism 

 is apparently closely related to the common colon 

 bacillus, a normal inhabitant of the intestinal tract, 

 which may, however, under certain conditions become 

 pathogenic. Like the colon bacillus, it forms a toxin 

 which resists heating, so that ordinary boiling does not 

 render the tainted food harmless. There is nothing in 

 the odor or appearance of the meat to excite suspicion. 



One of the most frequent and most thoroughly studied 

 causes of epidemic outbreaks of food poisoning is the 

 Bacillus botulinus. This was first studied by Van Er- 

 mengem in some 30 cases, all of which were due to 

 the eating of badly cured ham. The bacillus is a spore- 

 bearing anaerobe of slight motility, producing a powerful 



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