A mining student named Riddell (a son of the manager of the Taieri and Peninsula Milk Supply Company, and a brother of Mr W G Riddell, SM) and a young man named Thomas Trudgeon, who was engaged assisting Riddell in erecting a machine for treating the quartz tailings of the Golden Bar Company, Stoneburn, recently purchased by Riddell, are inmates of the Dunedin Hospital, where they are being treated for ptomaine poisoning, occasioned by eating tinned meat. The two men had tinned tongue on Friday evening, and on Saturday a friend named Farquarson, calling on them, found them prostrated. They were conveyed to Palmerston and treated medically. No improvement in their condition manifesting itself, they were yesterday conveyed to the Dunedin Hospital. At a late hour this afternoon there was no improvement in the men’s condition, which is considered serious. -Evening Star, 24/1/1905.
ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS.
DUNEDIN, Jan, 20. Thomas Trudgoon, a miner, who was admitted to the hospital suffering from ptomaine poisoning, died to-night. -Taranaki Daily News, 27/1/1905.
ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES
[Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, January 20. To-day's proceedings at the inquest touching the death of Thomas Trudgeon, a miner, who died yesterday from the effects of ptomaine poisoning, will be formal, as the principal witnesses, are not residents of Dunedin. The condition of Riddell shows no change. -Star, 27/1/1905.
Late Telegrams.
(From our own correspondent) Dunedin, This Day. Walter Riddell, admitted to the hospital, from Stoneburn last Monday, suffering from ptomaine poisoning, having partaken of tinned tongues on the previous Friday, died in the hospital this morning. Vigorous enquiries are being made as to where the meat was procured. -Dunstan Times, 30/1/1905.
CASUALTIES
PTOMAINE POISONING.—DEATH OF THE SECOND VICTIM.
Walter Alex. Riddell, the youngest son of Mr Riddell, the manager of the Taieri and Peninsula Milk Supply Company, and a brother of Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., Invercargill, died early this morning at the hospital from the effects of ptomaine poisoning, causal by eating tinned tongues. It will be remembered that the deceased (a mining student) and a young man named Trudgeon partook of the tongues at Stoneburn on Friday, the 20th inst., and were conveyed in a state of collapse to Palmerston, and subsequently to the Dunedin Hospital. No improvement showed itself in either of the sufferers from the moment of admission, and Trudgeon expired on Thursday evening. Riddell lingered till two o’clock this morning. An inquest will be held at the hospital at 11 a.m. to-morrow. -Evening Star, 30/1/1905.
PTOMAINE POISONING. THE CASE IN OTAGO.
MEDICAL EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST.
by TELEGRAM — Press association.] DUNEDIN, 3rd Fobruary. The inquest on Thomas Trudgeon, who died from supposed ptomnine poisoning, was resumed to-day, but was adjourned to permit of further tests by Mr. G. M. Thomson, analytical chemist, being made.
Dr. Hotop, Resident Surgeon at the Hospital, said Riddell (who was also poisoned) told him Trudgeon and him had partaken at tea of tinned sheeps' tongues with onions, bread, and tea. At 2 o'clock next morning they became very ill. The tinned tongues were purchased from a storekeeper. The tins had been newly opened.
Dr. Roberts, who made the post-mortem examination, described the state of the deceased's organs, and said appearances looked quite consistent with ptomaine poisoning. The appearances in such cases were often negative. No poison was discovered. Had there been cyanide poisoning he should think the post-mortem examination would have disclosed more traces of irritation. He considered death due to ptomaine poisoning.
G. M. Thomson, analytical chemist, said he had received three tins of sheeps' tongues from the police. One of these was opened and contained two tongues covered with mould. He treated the unopened tins for ptomaine, but the processes were long and intricate, and he had not yet finished. There was no metallic poison present in any of the tins. The contents of the tins not previously opened were not very tempting, and were spotted. There was no offensive smell, and nothing to show whether they were good or bad. If any ptomaines were present he was bound to get them by his process.
James H. Cunningham, who had visited the tent of deceased on the 21st, said Trudgeon mentioned that they had opened one tin, and not liking the look of it, had thrown it away. The inquest was adjourned till Tuesday.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S OPINION
Additional particulars of the case mentioned in the above telegram show that Mr. Walter Riddell, a mining student, son of the manager of the Taieri and Peninsula Milk Supply Co., and brother of the S.M. at Invercargill, had purchased some quartz tailings at Stoneburn (near Palmerston). With his assistant, Mr. Thomas Trudgoon, hoewas erecting a machine to treat the tailings. They both ate tinned tongues on 20th January, were immediately prostrated, reached Dunedin Hospital on 2lth January, and both died, Riddell lingering till 30th January.
What took place between the eating of the meat and their admittance to the hospital is thus referred to by the Otago Daily Times: — "On Friday evening (20th January) he (Riddell) partook of some tinned tongues for supper, and was immediately seized with violent pains, and was unable to move. On Saturday a friend named Farquharson happened to go to the tent, and found both the men prostrated. A messenger was sent to Palmerston for medicine, but no improvement taking place in their condition they were brought down, and Dr. Hislop was called in to attend to them. After examination the doctor ordered their removal to the Dunedin Hospital."
Conversing with an officer of the Health Department, a Post reporter asked if there was any simple antidote or remedy for general and immediate use in cases of ptomaine poisoning, and was assured that there was not. The symptoms were those of gastro-onteritis, and a layman could not be sure whether the cause was ptomaine poisoning or something else. The best thing to do was to get medical aid as soon as possible.
"If there is no antidote, what about prevention?" The answer to this question was that the best prevention was to avoid, as far as possible, eating tinned meat that has beon opened for any length of time, and to observe ordinary rules of cleanliness and sanitation. As a rule, the decomposition in tinned meat that caused the trouble took place after the tin had beon opened, and was not the fault of the manufacturer; but he had known cases of ptomaine poisoning arising from meat that had been just opened. Cases had been known to arise from eating shellfish — mussels, and at times oysters. A ham at a wedding feast fatally afflicted several persons, and there had been some cases arising from milk, cheese, and butter, particularly when the dairy was within reach of the emanations of a drain. It was not an uncommon thing in this country to see a safe right over an open drain.
"Is ptomaine poisoning on the increase?"
"I don't think so — rather the reverse. There may appear to be more of it, because it is only in later years it has been recognised. Cases before that probably passed unnoticed." -Evening Post, 4/2/1905.
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