Death Can Come in Cans

In all the U.S., only twelve outbreaks of botulism (46 victims, of whom 14 died) were reported last year. Yet for the Public Health Service's symposium last week on this deadliest form of food poisoning, 300 experts turned up in Cincinnati--eloquent testimony to the severity of the problem. The trouble is, said the University of Michigan's Dr. Lloyd L. Kempe, that ever since safety standards were set in 1922, botulism research has been "shamefully neglected."

Five Brands. Even diagnosis is difficult, unless the doctor has reason to suspect botulism. "When we have a suspected case," said Dr. Charles S. Petty of the University of Maryland, "we must first get a specimen of the food, inject an extract of it into white mice, and wait up to four days for something to happen. By then, if the patient really had botulism, he may be dead."

Treatment is just as handicapped. Since five types of botulin bacteria produce different brands of poison, five kinds of antitoxin are needed. Only two are produced in the U.S., by a single company (Lederle Laboratories). "If I find a case of Type E botulism," Dr. Petty said, "I'll have to send to Denmark or Japan for the antitoxin."

One disturbing feature of the 1963 outbreaks was that four of them, causing nine deaths, were from commercially packed foods. So far as was known, most cases in recent years had come from home canning of fruits, vegetables or mushrooms, which had not been adequately boiled before the housewife sealed the jar. In an airless, airtight container, the bacteria multiply and secrete what is reputedly the deadliest poison known. One ounce, it is estimated, could kill 200 million people.

Breath Control. Anyone who consumes a small amount of botulin-contaminated food develops double vision, photophobia, giddiness and sometimes nausea. Muscle spasm makes swallowing painful or impossible. Recovery takes weeks. A bigger dose usually causes death by knocking out the central nervous system's breathing control.

The only sure prevention, either commercially or in the home, is to kill all the bacteria before the container is sealed. This can be done most effectively by boiling under pressure, though some foods are pickled, salted or smoked. Fortunately, even after the germs have done their worst, canned foods can be made safe by boiling, because the poison produced by the bacteria is also destroyed by heat.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.