The Postcard
A postcard that was published by Frank Phillips of Aberystwyth.
The card was posted in Aberystwyth using stamps to the value of 1½d on Wednesday the 22nd. June 1921. It was sent to:
Mrs. H. Stubbs,
51, Middlewich Street,
Crewe.
The pencilled message on the divided back of the card was as follows:
"Dear Mother,
Having a grand time -
lovely weather.
Eight of us are going
for a picnic today but
I cannot tell you where
it is.
Best love to all,
Anne."
An American Polo Victory
So what else happened on the day that Anne posted the card to her mother?
Well, on the 22nd. June 1921, in the match for the International Polo Cup at Hurlingham in England, the U.S. team defeated the British team 10 to 6, bringing the Cup back to the United States.
A New Rowing Record
Also on that day, the U.S. Naval Academy eight-man rowing team won the Intercollegiate Rowing Association championship and shattered the record for rowing three miles.
The record was lowered by 104 seconds, to 14 minutes, seven seconds, from 15:51.
Deadly Olives
The following day, Thursday the 23rd. June 1921, three women were fatally poisoned hours after a dinner party the night before in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
Miss Ella Woodward, a maid at the home of Joseph D. Wentling died first, followed by Mrs. Wentling, despite the efforts of specialists called in from New York City and Pittsburgh.
Mrs. J. Covode Reed, a guest at the Wentling party, died two days later.
The deaths were all traced to botulism contamination in a single bottle of olives from a Pittsburgh farm.
-- Botulism
Botulism is a rare and potentially fatal illness caused by a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The word is from Latin botulus, meaning 'sausage'.
The disease begins with weakness, blurred vision, feeling tired, and trouble speaking. This may then be followed by weakness of the arms, chest muscles, and legs.
Vomiting, swelling of the abdomen, and diarrhea may also occur. The disease does not usually affect consciousness or cause a fever.
Botulism can occur in several ways. The bacterial spores which cause it are common in both soil and water, and are very resistant. They produce the botulinum toxin when exposed to low oxygen levels and certain temperatures.
Foodborne botulism happens when food containing the toxin is eaten.
Infant botulism instead happens when the bacterium develops in the intestines and releases the toxin. This typically only occurs in children less than one year old, as protective mechanisms against development of the bacterium develop after that age.
Wound botulism is found most often among those who inject street drugs. In this situation, spores enter a wound, and in the absence of oxygen, release the toxin. Wound botulism has increased in recent years because of the use of black tar heroin, especially in California.
The disease is not passed directly between people. Its diagnosis is confirmed by finding the toxin or bacteria in the person in question.
Prevention is primarily by proper food preparation. The toxin, though not the spores, are destroyed by heating it to more than 85 °C (185 °F) for longer than five minutes.
The clostridial spores can be destroyed in an autoclave with moist heat (120°C/ 250°F for at least 15 minutes) or dry heat (160°C for 2 hours) or by irradiation.
The spores of group I strains are inactivated by heating at 121°C (250°F) for 3 minutes during commercial canning.
Spores of group II strains are less heat-resistant, and they are often damaged by 90°C (194°F) for 10 minutes; however, these treatments may not be sufficient in some foods.
Honey can contain the organism, and for this reason, honey should not be fed to children under 12 months.
Treatment is with an antitoxin. In those who lose their ability to breathe on their own, mechanical ventilation may be necessary for months. Antibiotics may be used for wound botulism.
Death occurs in 5 to 10% of people. Botulism also affects many other animals.
-- Botulism Outbreaks in the United States
(a) On the 2nd. July 1971, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a public warning after learning that a New York man had died and his wife had become seriously ill due to botulism after eating a can of Bon Vivant vichyssoise soup.
(b) Between the 31st. March and the 6th. April 1977, 59 individuals developed type B botulism.
All who fell ill had eaten at the same Mexican restaurant in Pontiac, Michigan, and had consumed a hot sauce made with improperly home-canned jalapeño peppers, either by adding it to their food, or by eating nachos that had been prepared with the hot sauce.
The full clinical spectrum from mild symptomatology with neurologic findings through to life-threatening ventilatory paralysis of type B botulism was documented.
(c) In April 1994, the largest outbreak of botulism in the United States since 1978 occurred in El Paso, Texas. Thirty people were affected; 4 required mechanical ventilation.
All ate food from a Greek restaurant. The attack rate among people who ate a potato-based dip was 86% (19 out of 22 diners) compared with 6% (11 out of 176 diners) among people who did not eat the dip.
The attack rate among people who ate an eggplant-based dip was 67% (6 out of 9 diners) compared with 13% (24/189) among people who did not.
Botulism toxin type A was detected in patients and in both dips. Toxin formation resulted from holding aluminum foil-wrapped baked potatoes at room temperature, apparently for several days, before they were used in the dips.
(d) In 2002, fourteen Alaskans ate muktuk (whale blubber) from a beached whale, resulting in eight of them developing botulism, with two of the affected requiring mechanical ventilation.
(e) Beginning in late June 2007, 8 people contracted botulism poisoning by eating canned food products produced by Castleberry's Food Company in its Augusta, Georgia plant. All of the victims were hospitalized and placed on mechanical ventilation.
It was later determined that the Castleberry's plant had serious production problems on a specific line of retorts that had under-processed the cans of food.
These issues included broken cooking alarms, leaking water valves and inaccurate temperature devices, all the result of poor management of the company.
The Castleberry's Food Company outbreak was the first instance of botulism in commercial canned foods in the United States in over 30 years.
(f) One person died, 21 cases were confirmed, and 10 more were suspected in Lancaster, Ohio when a botulism outbreak occurred after a church potluck in April 2015.
The suspected source was a salad made from home-canned potatoes.
(g) A botulism outbreak occurred in Northern California in May 2017 after 10 people consumed a nacho cheese dip served at a gas station in Sacramento County. One man died as a result of the outbreak.
-- Terrorism
A Japanese cult called Aum Shinrikyo created laboratories that produced biological weapons including botulinum.
From 1990 to 1995, the cult staged numerous unsuccessful bioterrorism attacks on civilians. They sprayed botulinum toxin from a truck in downtown Tokyo and at Narita airport, but there were no reported cases of botulism as a result.
-- Biological Warfare
CIA research in Fort Detrick on biological warfare determined that botulism and anthrax were the most effective options.
During the 1950's, a highly lethal strain of botulism was discovered during the biological warfare program. The CIA continued to hold 5 grams of Clostridium botulinum, even after Nixon's ban on biological warfare in 1969.
During the Gulf War, when the United States were worried about a potential bio-warfare attack, efforts around botulism turned to prevention.
However, the only way to make antitoxin in America until the 1990's was by drawing antibodies from a single horse named First Flight, raising much concern amongst Pentagon health officials.
