BOTULISM 530 
seemed to be soft. Had they been thoroughly cooked it is improbable 
that any unusual results would have been noticed. Another epidemic 
of botulism from canned string beans has been reported by Landmann 
(1904). In this epidemic the value of boiling canned food is again 
emphasized. Some of .the beans were boiled by accident and when 
eaten produced no evil results. Those who partook of the uncooked 
beans suffered the usual symptoms. The presence of B. botulinus was 
indicated by a bacteriological examination.* 
Diagonosis of Food Poisoning. Extract some of the suspected food 
with physiological salt solution. Inject boiled and unboiled decimal 
dilutions of this extract into guinea pigs. Feed the suspected food to 
experimental animals. If they will not eat it, sprinkle other foods with a 
physiological salt solution extract of the suspected food. 
BIBLIOGRAPHY 
BacuMann, F. M. 1916. A Study of the Effect of Spices on the Growth of 
Certain Organisms. Abstracts of Bacteriology, 1, 109. 
BacuMann, F. M. 1916. Inhibiting Action of Certain Spices. Jour. Ind. 
Chem., 8, 620-623. 
Bacumann, F. M. 1918. The Use of Different Microorganisms to Determine 
the Preservative Value of Different Brands of Spices. Jour. Ind. Eng. 
Chem., 10, 121-123. 
Bacon, R. F. and Dungar, B. P. Changes Taking Place During Spoilage of 
Tomatoes with Methods for Detecting Spoilage in Tomato Products. 
U. 8. Department of Agriculture, Bureau Chemistry Circular 78. 
BainsRivGe, F. A. 1912. The Milroy Lectures on Paratyphoid Fever and 
Meat Poisoning. Lancet, 1912-I, 705, and lectures in two succeeding 
numbers. 
Baker, H. A. 1912. “Springers” in Canned Foods, Causes and Prevention. 
Sth Intern. Cong. Applied Chem., 18, 39-41. 
Baker, H. A. 1912. The Disappearance of Oxygen in Canned Food Con- 
tainers. 8th Intern. Cong. Applied Chem., 18, 45-49. 
Beartiz, J. H. and Goutp, H. P. 1917. Commercial Evaporation and Dry- 
ing of Fruits. U.S. Dept. Agriculture, Farmer’s Bulletin 903. 
Bernuarpt, G. 1912. In Regard to the Causes of Meat Poisoning. Para- 
typhoid B. bacilli Voldagsen Type as a Cause of Meat Poisoning in Man. 
Zeit. f. Hyg., 78, 64-78. 
Bernstein, H. 8. and Fisu, E. 8. 1916. Food Poisoning by the Bacillus 
paratyphosus B. An epidemic due to the organism isolated from a pie. 
Jour. Amer. Med. Assn., 66, 167-171. 
* Those desiring an extended discussion of botulism should read Monograph 
No. 8 (1918) of the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research by Dickson. 
