THE FIRST QUARTERLY REPORT 
OF THE 
MICHIGAN STATE LABORATORY OF HYGIENE. 
By PROF. VICTOR C. VAUGHAN, M. D., Ph. D., 
Member of the State Board of Health, and Director of the Laboratory of Hygiene 
[Reprinted from the Annual Report of the Michigan State Board of Health, 
for the Year 1887.] 
[REPRINT NO. 196.] 
TRUTH. 
MI6H0©AN STATE 1@AM @® MEALTii 
seal- 
BY AUTHORITY. 
LANSING: 
THORP & GODFREY, STATE PRINTERS AND BINDERS 
1888. THE FIRST QUARTERLY REPORT OF THE 
MICHIGAN STATE LABORATORY 
OF HYGIENE. 
BY PROP. VICTOR C. VAUGHAN, M. D., PH. D., MEMBER OF THE STATE BOARD 
OF HEALTH, AND DIRECTOR OF THE LABORATORY OF HYGIENE. 
[ Reprinted from the Annual Report of the Michigan State Board of Health, for the year 1887.] 
[Reprint No. 196.] 
To the Michigan State Board of Health : 
Gentlemen : In accordance with the recommendation made by you at 
your meeting in October, 1886, the Regents of the State University asked the 
Legislature for an appropriation to build and equip a laboratory of practical 
hygiene in which original investigations as to the causation and nature of dis- 
eases might be made. A portion of the amount asked was granted by the 
Legislature, and in June, 1887, the Regents established a department of hy- 
giene, appointed the undersigned director of the laboratory and professor of 
hygiene, and Frederick G. Novy instructor in hygiene. The laboratory build- 
ing is now in process of erection, and will be ready for occupancy in October, 
1888. However, last October, Mr. Novy and I began our work, using rooms 
and apparatus belonging to the chemical laboratory. The first few weeks 
were spent in investigating the fatal cases of milk-poisoning, which occurred 
near Milan. The mystery connected with these cases was cleared up, unjust 
accusations were hushed, and the great care necessary to prevent milk-poi- 
soning was emphasized. Later, Mr. Novy’s investigations showed the fraud 
being practiced upon the people in the so-called new local anse3thetic, steno- 
carpine. The exposure of this fraud was so complete that the mixture has 
been withdrawn from the market. 
The .greater part of the quarter’s work has been given to the investigation 
of the epidemic of typhoid fever at Iron Mountain. If this work will cause 
people to give more attention to the purity of their drinking water, many lives 
will be saved. Reports of these investigations are herewith submitted to you. 
Besides the above, we have made analyses of water, with the view of selecting 
a source of public supply at Albion. 
Respectfully, 
Victor C. Vaughan, 
Director of the Michigan State Laboratory of Hygiene. 2 
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.—REPORT OF SECRETARY, 1887. 
EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON THE CAUSATION OF TYPHOID 
FEVER WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE OUT- 
BREAK AT IRON MOUNTAIN, MICH.— 
PRELIMINARY REPORT.* 
BY VICTOR C. VAUGHAKT, M D., PH. D., AND FREDERICK Q. NOVY, M. 8. 
Last October, having heard of the prevalence of a severe epidemic of 
typhoid fever at Iron Mountain, Michigan, we requested Dr. G. B. Johnson, 
a physician of that place, to forward to us a sample of the drinking water, 
used by families in which the disease had appeared. This request was imme- 
diately complied with, and we determined to make the most thorough tests 
possible. The ordinary sanitary analysis, which consists in the determina- 
tion of free and albuminoid ammonia, chlorine, nitrates and nitrites, we 
determined would be altogether inadequate. Besides, as we afterwards 
learned, such an analysis had already been made by the competent chemists 
of the Chapin mine at Iron Mountain. The results of this analysis, together 
with those of other waters in the village, made by the same chemists, will be 
given further on. 
After much deliberation we determined to inoculate sterilized meat prep- 
arations and sterilized milk with the suspected water, and then to keep the 
material at or near the temperature of the human body for varying periods 
of time, and to ascertain whether or not there would be any poisons devel- 
oped by the bacteria, which were suspected of being in the water. The fol- 
lowing are the details of the method: A number of Erlenmeyer flasks of 
400 c. c. capacity were thoroughly cleansed and rinsed with distilled water; 
then dried in an air-bath. When dry, they were tightly closed with plugs of 
cotton and heated for two hours at 140-150°C. 
A litre of fresh milk was placed in a large flask, plugged with cotton, 
and heated in a Koch’s steam sterilizing apparatus for over three hours. 
The flask was then taken out and, while yet warm, its contents were trans- 
ferred by means of a sterilized graduate and sterilized funnel, in portions of 
150 c. c. each, to the above mentioned sterilized, small flasks. The transfer 
was made as speedily as possible .and the flasks were immediately plugged 
with cotton and capped with pieces of filter-paper, which were held in posi- 
tion by means of rubber bands. The flasks, thus prepared, were placed in 
the steam sterilizing apparatus and heated for two hours. This was found 
to produce perfect sterilization. 
*This is part of the First Quarterly Report to the State Board of Health, of work done in the 
Michigan State Laboratory of Hygiene, at the State University. EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON THE CAUSATION OF TYPHOID FEVER. 
3 
One pound of lean beef was chopped up finely and treated with one litre 
of distilled water. The whole was set aside in a cool place for twenty-four 
hours, being occasionally well shaken. It was then filtered through cloth, 
the filtrate was diluted to one litre with distilled water, placed in a large 
beaker and heated almost to boiling. Then twenty-one grams of peptone 
and five grams of pure sodium chloride were added. While still hot, the 
solution was.carefully neutralized with sodium carbonate, then placed in the 
steam sterilizer and heated for two and one-half hours. After removal and 
when nearly cold it was filtered through paper; the filtrate was made up to 
one litre with distilled water, placed in a large assay flask, plugged with cot- 
ton, and heated in the steam sterilizer for three hours. After cooling it was 
transferred to the sterilized flasks, which were plugged with cotton and 
heated for two hours in the steam sterilizer. 
November 9, 3 P. M., some of these flasks were inoculated with Iron 
Mountain water; others with some water which we had received from Lan- 
sing, Mich., and which had been used by a family, some members of which 
suffered from typhoid fever; and one each of the milk and meat preparation 
was left without inoculation and used as controls. 
Two of the meat and two of the milk flasks were inoculated with 30 c. c. 
each of the Iron Mountain water, and one meat and one milk flask with 50 
c. c. each of the same water. The same number of flasks and the same 
amount of water were used with the Lansing water. Thus we had six flasks 
maculated with the Iron Mountain water, six with the Lansing water, and 
two controls 
These flasks were then placed in a Koch’s vegetation apparatus and kept 
at from 30°-38°c. 
Nov. 11, 47i hours after the inoculations were made, four flasks, one con- 
taining meat preparation and Iron Mountain water, the second, milk and 
Iron Mountain water, the third, meat preparation and Lansing water, and the 
fourth, milk and Lansing water, were removed from the vegetation trough 
and examined. 
The meat preparation inoculated with Iron Mountain water had a strong, 
repulsive odor, showed an abundant, white bacterial growth, and was neutral 
in reaction. It was filtered, rendered feebly acid with hydrochloric acid, ex- 
tracted with ether, then rendered alkaline with sodium carbonate, and ex- 
tracted successively with ether, benzole and amylic alcohol. 
The acid ether extract was allowed to evaporate spontaneously, the residue 
was dissolved in alcohol, acidulated with dilute hydrochloric acid and evap- 
orated on the water bath. The reddish residue was dissolved in water, filtered 
and tested for ptomaines. It gave no alkaloidal reactions and contained no 
poison. 
The alkaline ether extract, treated in the same manner as the acid extract, 
gave slight precipitates with phosphomolybdic acid and platinum chloride, 
but was also inert. 
The alkaline benzole extract gave no alkaloidal reaction and was free from 
poisonous properties. 
The amylic alcohol extract gave slight precipitates, but if it contained any 
poison the amount was too small to have any effect upon animals. 
After the above extractions had been made, the fluid was again rendered 
acid with dilute hydrochloric acid, and then evaporated in vacuo at 40°C. 
The residue was treated with absolute alcohol, filtered and again evaporated 4 
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.—REPORT OF SECRETARY, 1887. 
in vacuo, again taken up with absolute alcohol and now allowed to evaporate 
spontaneously. The final residue dissolved in water gave precipitates with 
many of the alkaloidal reagents, but showed no poisonous properties. 
We were now convinced that no poison had yet developed in the meat 
preparation inoculated with the Iron Mountain water. 
Similar examinations were made with the milk and Iron Mountain water, 
the meat preparation and Lansing water and the milk and Lansing water, 
and similar results, so far at least as the failure to detect any poison is con- 
cerned, were marked. Indeed, the chemical reactions were reached by only 
slight variations. The bacterial growths were much more abundant in the 
Iron Mountain water inoculations, than in the others. 
Nov. 16, seven days after the inoculations were made, four flasks, similar 
to those previously examined, were removed from the vegetation apparatus, 
and their contents were submitted to analyses similar to those already 
detailed. 
The meat preparation inoculated with the Iron Mountain water was 
strongly alkaline in reaction and gave off a marked amine odor. After being 
acidified with hydrochloric acid, it was evaporated on the water-bath, the 
residue was extracted with absolute alcohol and filtered. The filtrate gave 
a precipitate with an alcoholic solution of mercuric chloride, but the precipi- 
tate proved readily soluble in slight excess of the precipitant. The mercury 
was removed by precipitation with hydrogen sulphide and filtration. The 
filtrate was evaporated on a water-bath, leaving a syrupy residue with some 
crystals of sodium chloride. The syrup was poured off from the crystals, 
taken up with water, and a portion of it (only a few drops of the syrup) was 
injected by means of a hypodermic syringe under the skin on the back of a 
cat. The temperature of the cat before the injection, taken with care and 
with a tested thermometer in the axilla, was 99.5°. The following is a record 
of the effect observed in the experiment: 
Experiment 1.—Temperature before the injection, 99.5° 
Time of injection, 3:14. 
Temperature at 3:24, 100.25. 
Temperature at 3:44, 101°. The cat drinks a large quantity of water, 
although she had an abundant supply of milk, which had been within her 
reach during the day and of which she hadpreviousiy partaken. After drink- 
ing there is considerable retching, but no.vomiting. The respirations are 
greatly accelerated and jerky. The pupils are dilated, but respond to light. 
Temperature at 3:54, 101.8°. 
Temperature at 4:19, 101.8°. 
Temperature at 4:30, 101.5°. 
The temperature was not again taken until the next morning, when it was 
found to be 99.5°. The animal seemed to have wholly recovered from any 
discomfort which it had suffered. 
Experiment 2.—Two days later a similar amount of the syrupy residue was 
administered to the same cat in the same manner. 
Temperature before the injection, 99.5°. 
Time of injection, 4:30. 
Temperature at 5:00, 102.0°. 
The temperature was not taken again until next morning when it was found 
to be 99.5°. 
Experiment S.—A similar amount of the syrup was administered to another 
cat. EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON THE CAUSATION OF TYPHOID FEVER. 
5 
Temperature before the injection, 100°. 
Time of injection, 3:33. 
Temperature at 4:08, 101°. 
Temperature at 4:33, 101p. 
Temperature at 4:50, 101.6°. 
Experiment 4.—Dec. 1. A much larger amount of the syrup than that 
used in the preceding experiments was injected under the skin on the back of 
a large Maltese cat. 
Temperature before the injection, 99.5°. 
Time of injection, 4:03 P. M. 
Temperature at 4:19 P. M., 94°—marked salivation. 
Temperature at 4:44 P. M., 98°—pupils are widely dilated. The cat 
vomits heavily and persistently. 
Temperature at 5:30 P. M., 100°. The retching continues and a watery 
secretion flows from the mouth, nose and eyes. 
Temperature at 6:00 P. M., 100°. Seems in a stupor. 
Temperature at 8:00 A. M., Dec. 2, 103.4°. Stupor continues. 
Temperature at 1:40 P. M., Dec. 2, 103.4°. When touched on the abdo- 
men the animal cries as if in pain. 
Temperature at 4:20 P. M., 104.1°. The animal seems much excited and 
dashed through the door of the room once, though she had previously been 
very quiet. 
Temperature at 9:15 A. M., Dec. 3, 99.6°. Seems to be recovering, but 
still looks very haggard. Has eaten nothing since the injection. 
Temperature at 1:40 P. M., Dec. 3, 100.8°. Eats some meat. 
Temperature at 8:50 A. M., Dec. 4, 99.5°. 
The cat was now killed with chloroform and careful examination made of 
the abdominal and thoracic organs. No abnormality could be found. 
Experiment 5.—Some of the syrup obtained from the milk which was in- 
oculated with Iron Mountain water was injected under the skin on the back 
of cat. The temperature in this case was taken in the rectum. 
Temperature before the injection, 102.5°. 
Time of the injection, 3:55 P. M., Dec. 9. 
Temperature at 4 : 40 P. M., 97.6°. 
Temerature at 5:25 P. M., 100.9°. 
Temperature at 9:05 A. M., Dec. 10, 103.6°. 
Temperature at 2:40 P. M., Dec. 10, 102.4°. 
Both the meat preparation and the milk, which had been inoculated with 
the Lansing water, were carried through the same chemical pi-ocesses to 
which the Iron Mountain preparation had been submitted, but they yielded 
only .traces of the syrupy residue and these when injected into animals were 
without effect. These served as controls for the experiments already detailed 
and showed that there was nothing in the meat preparation or milk them- 
selves which could cause the effects observed. As further control, however, 
the sterilized meat preparation which had been prepared as a control and 
which had remained in the vegetation trough for forty days at the tempera- 
ture of the body without showing any bacterial growth was treated in the 
same manner that the other preparations had been, and the alcoholic residue 
was injected into animals without producing any effect. 
Evidently the syrupy residue, which w*as used in the above experiments, 
contains a poisonous ptomaine, the special or characteristic production of 6 
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.—REPORT OF SECRETARY, 1887. 
the micro-organisms present in the Iron Mountain water; and if these are- 
the germs of typhoid fever, this syrup contains the special poison of typhoid 
fever. In the intestines of a man suffering from typhoid fever, the germs 
grow and constantly produce the ptomaine which is absorbed and causes the 
symptoms of the disease. If our extract contains the typhoid fever poison, 
we should expect it to produce, when employed as in the above experiment, in 
general the symptoms of the disease, but we should expect these symptoms 
to be temporary. We think that this is substantially what is shown by the 
experiments. The primary depression of temperature observed when the 
larger amounts were employed is certainly nothing more than might be 
expected from a large dose of a powerful poison; then the elevation of tem- 
perature which followed was in the majority of the experiments at least suffi- 
ciently marked. We did not expect to find in the animal examined the 
characteristic intestinal lesions of typhoid fever, as we suppose these to be 
due to the growth and activity of the micro-organism or to the local action 
of the ptomaine where it exists in larger amount, the place of its formation. 
In 1885, Brieger 1 of Berlin, obtained from pure cultures of the Eberth 
bacillus, a ptomaine which in guinea-pigs produced a slight flow of saliva, 
frequency of respiration, dilatation of the pupils, profuse diarrhoea, paraly- 
sis and death within from twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Post mortem 
examination showed the heart in systole, the lungs hyperaemic, and the intes- 
tines contracted and pale. This substance Brieger considers the special 
poison of typhoid fever, and calls it typhotoxine, and it may be that 
we shall find that it forms the active principle of our syrupy residue. At 
present, however, the two do not seem to be identical. Brieger found no 
elevation of temperature, at least he does not refer to it, while the property 
of elevating the temperature seems to be the most characteristic effect of the 
Iron Mountain water poison. Typhotoxine produced profuse diarrhoea; 
while the other poison has shown no such effect. It may be remarked here 
that the fever at Iron Mountain has been characterized by the existence of 
constipation in the majority of the cases. 
However, these differences in physiological action may be due to the fact 
that different animals were used, guinea pigs in one case, and cats in the 
other. 
In 1880, Eberth* first described an oval bacillus, which he had found in the 
spleen and mesenteric glands of persons dead of typhoid fever, and which is 
now generally believed to be the true germ of this disease. Before Eberth, 
Koch had observed this germ and had taken micro-photographs of it. Even 
before Koch, Browicz3, Sokoloff4, Fischel5 and others had individually ob- 
served, in the tissues of typhoid subjects, oval bacilli, which were probably 
identical with those of Eberth and Koch. f 
These bacilli are about one third as large as the red blood-corpuscles of 
man, and about three times as long as broad, though they may grow to long 
threads. The short rods have plainly rounded ends, and very active move- 
ments. They are affected by the amaline colors less than most germs, and 
are best stained by methylimblue. Whether or not this germ produces spores 
is a question of much interest to bacteriologists. Gafky6 found that in po- 
1 Weitere Untersuchungen tiber Ptomaine. 
2Virchow’8 Arcliiv, B. 8L and 83. 
SBireh-IIirselifeld’s Lehrbuch der pathologische Anatomie. 
4 Virchow’s Archiv, B. 66. 
sPrager Medieinische Wochenshrift, 1878. 
«Mitbeilungen aus d. Kais. Gesundheitsamte, B. 2. EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON THE CAUSATION 01' TYPHOID FEVER. 
7 
tato, gelatine and blood serum cultures, kept at the temperature of the body, 
spores were formed. This observation has been confirmed by Sternberg,1 
Fliigge und Bolton3, Vilchour3, and Chantemesse and Vidal4; though on the 
other hand, Buchner5, Seitz6, Michael7, and Frankel and Simmonds8 have, 
after numerous investigations, been unable to detect any spore-formation. 
This question is also of interest to sanitarians, since germ-spores resist disin- 
fectants, which destroy germs growing without spores. Very recently Birch- 
Hirschfield9 has apparently settled this question by detecting the spores by 
growing the bacillus in stained cultures. Another point of interest to sani- 
tarians is the capability of this germ to resist high and low temperatures. 
Prudden16 found them capable of growth after having been frozen in ice for 
103 days and after having been heated to 56° C. This confirms the belief of 
sanitarians in this country that typhoid fever may be induced by the use of 
impure ice. The same investigation showed that frequent, alternate freezing 
and thawing did destroy the germ. 
Still another point of interest is the fact that this germ will grow in vari- 
ous media. Seitz11, and Wolfhugel and Riedel13 found that it grew abun- 
dantly in milk. In our experiments, as has been seen, we obtained the poison- 
ous extract from both the milk and meat cultures, though it was more abun- 
dant in the latter. It is worthy of note that the milk culture became acid in 
reaction, a fact which has also been observed by Loffler13. Seitz found that 
while the bacillus grew in both acid and alkaline urine, its growth was more 
abundant in the latter. However, it is probably of no sanitary importance 
whether the germ be taken into the stomach in milk or in water, for, in either 
case, on reaching the small intestine, it will find an alkaline medium in 
which to multiply. Wolfhugel and Riedel found that the bacillus multiplied 
in water which had been boiled, when kept at 16° 0. Balton found the 
“spores” in stagnant water a month and longer after the introduction of 
the germ. Hochstetter14 found the germ in artificial seltzer water a week 
after its introduction. Seitz found that quinine, kairin, antipyrine, thalline, 
salicylic acid and calomel in certain proportions arrest the growth of the 
germ in cultures, but that naphthalline, which seems to be a useful intestinal 
disinfectant in some diseases, is without effect upon the typhoid bacillus. 
Upon potatoes, the typhoid bacillus shows a characteristic growth. It 
forms a mould wholly invisible to the unaided eye. After three or four 
days, if kept at ordinary temperature, after two days if kept at the tempera- 
ture of the body, the surface of the potato looks moist, but no other change 
is observable. If the surface be scraped with a sterilized needle and the 
material thus obtained be examined under a sufficient power, it will be found 
to consist of active, moving typhoid bacilli. By making potato cultures, 
this bacillus can be distinguished from all known germs. Indeed, the best 
bacteriologists regard the potato culture as the crucial test for the 
•Medical News, April, 1887. 
2Zeitschrift fill* Hygiene, B. 1. 
SLancet, 1886. 
'•Archives de Physiologie. 1887. 
®Archiv fill- Hygiene, B.o. 
®Bacteriologi?clie Studien zilr Typhusatiologie, 1886. 
’Fortschritte der Medicine, 1886. 
®Du atiologische Bedeutung des Typhusbacillus, 1886. 
*Archivftir Hygiene. B. 7. 
•°Medical Record, 1887. 
11 L.C. 
• 2 Arbeiten aus dem Kais. Gesundheits amte, B. 1. 
kliuische wochenschrift, 1887. 
14Centralblatt filr Bakteriologie und Parasitenkunde, B. 1. 8 
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.—REPORT OF SECRETARY, 1887. 
typhoid bacillus, and this test must always be made before one can be 
certain that he has this germ. 
That the Iron Mountain water contained the typhoid bacillus was demon- 
strated by the potato culture and by microscopical examination, as well as by 
a physiological experiment. The first cultures were made as has been stated, 
Nov. 9, about two weeks after the water bad been received. These cultures 
contained, besides the typhoid bacillus, germs ordinarily found in water; but 
the second cultures, made Dec. 7, contained only the typhoid bacillus. These 
had either destroyed or outlived tbe non-pathogenic organisms. This is an 
interesting fact, since it shows the poisonous germ to be very tenacious of 
life. Moreover, this observation is at variance with that of Kraus,1 who found 
that the ordinary water bacteria destroyed the typhoid bacillus, though this 
difference maybe due to the different temperatures at which the water was 
kept. Kraus kept the water in his experiment at 10-|° 0., while the Iron 
Mountain water was kept in a jug, in a basement room, the temperature of 
which was about 20° C. 
In the meat peptone preparation the bacillus formed a scum, which had 
the lustre of mother of pearl and was bluish-gray, becoming slightly brown- 
ish after some weeks. Some of this growth was removed with a sterilized 
rod, rubbed up with 2 c. c. of water, which had been boiled, taken into a 
large, sterilized hypodermic syringe and injected into the abdominal cavity 
of a cat. Before the injection the hair was cut from the abdomen at the 
place of injection, and the skin was washed first with absolute alcohol 
and then with a one-half per cent solution of mercuric chloride. The injec- 
tion was made at 2:25 P. M., Dec. 20. The temperature of the cat, taken in 
the rectum, before the injection was 101.5°. Twenty minutes after the injec- 
tion, there was a fecal movement, and a few moments later, the animal vom- 
ited. The vomiting was repeated four or five times during the afternoon. 
When not vomiting or attempting to do so, the animal seemed greatly pros- 
trated. She rested on her abdomen with her chin upon the floor and could 
not be easily aroused. She made several attempts at stool, but there was no 
purging or diarrhoea. 
Dec. 21, 7:45 A. M.—The cat still lies in the same position. She refuses 
food. The temperature in the rectum is 96.4°. 
2:30 P. M.—Oat still lies upon the floor and refuses milk. Temperature, 
98.5°. 
4:20 P. M.—Temperature, 101.4°. 
5:30 P. M.—Temperature, 101.8°. 
Dec. 22, 8:00 A. M.—Cat seems some better, but refuses food, and is very 
weak. She is unable to cry aloud; temperature, 103°. 
2:30 P. M.—Takes some milk; temperature, 104°. 
4:20 P. M.—Temperature, 104.4°. 
Dec. 23.—The cat seems to be recovering rapidly. She takes food greedily 
and the temperature is normal. 
The animal was then killed with chloroform. There was nothing abnor- 
mal at tbe point of injection. Nothing abnormal could be found in the 
peritoneal cavity. No trace of the small masses of injected bacilli could be 
found. The mucous membrane of the small intestines was slightly hyper- 
asmic and in the region of Pej'er’s glands were observed four little ulcera- 
tions about the size of a pin head. Two or three similar ones were found in 
1 Arckiv ftir hygiene, B. 6. 9 
EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON THE CAUSATION OF TYPHOID FEVER. 
the ascending colon, but one of these was about four times as large as those 
in the small intestines, and around this was quite an area marked by inflam- 
matory action. Careful inspection of all the abdominal and thoracic organs 
failed to reveal any further abnormality. 
This result was very satisfactory, and leaves no room for doubt concerning 
the existence of the specific poison of typhoid fever in the Iron Mountain 
water. 
It is to be noted that the lower animals are not subject to long-con- 
tinued typhoid fever as is man, and a temporary effect from which the 
animal would within a few days die or recover is all that can be expected. 
Besides, the lessons in our experiment were certainly satisfactory. We 
hope to repeat this experiment several times. 
It will be interesting to know something about the sanitary condition of 
Iron Mountain. For our information upon this point we are wholly indebted 
to Drs. J. A. Crowell and G. B. Johnson, physicians to the Chapin mine, 
who have been kind enough to answer our numerous inquiries. 
Iron Mountain is a village with a permanent population of about 4,800, 
and during the summer months this number is augmented by some 2,000 
floating population. As there are only about 1,000 buildings all told, and as 
some of the dwellings are very small, the village is very much crowded. 
The village is situated in a valley, the lowest portion of which was once a 
swamp, extending north and south. Upon each side the hills are steep and 
portions of the village lie upon these hillsides. The soil is drift of sand and 
gravel except in the lowest portions of the valley, where the drift is overlaid 
with vegetable mould. The depth of the drift is very variable. In some 
places the ledge of rock, which is of the Huronian strata, outcrops on the 
hilltops, in others on the hillsides, and in others in the valley. The ledge 
stands nearly on edge, dipping at from 70° to 80° to the north. The drift is 
so porous that within twenty-four hours after heavy rains the surface 
becomes dry. 
A portion of the village, about 300 houses, has a system of water-supply, 
the source of which is a shaft 40 feet deep and far away from any source of 
contamination. An analysis of this water by Messrs. Brewster and Brown, 
chemists to the Chapin mine, shows the following: 
Free ammonia, parts per million. 0.02 
Albuminoid ammonia, parts per million 0.05 
Chlorine, grains per gallon — 0.4 
Calcium carbonate, grains per gallon 10.476 
Magnesium carbonate, grains per gallon. 5.324 
Dr. Crowell writes: “Those drinking this water have been almost wholly 
exempt from the fever, and yet there have been some remarkable exceptions, 
a whole family coming down, while all neighbors were free from any sick- 
ness, and all drinking of this water.” 
The remaining portion of the village, the part in which the fever pre- 
vailed, derives its drinking water from wells sunk from six to twenty feet. 
There are no sewers or other means of removing filth. Privy vaults are 
used, and slops and garbage are thrown out in back yards and streets. 
During the past summer, a most disagreeable odor of decomposing matter 
greeted one in passing along the street. There is a ditch running through 
the village, which conveys the water from the mine to a small lake beyond 
water. 10 
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.—REPORT OF SECRETARY, 1887. 
the village. This ditch, quite naturally, is used by many as an open sewer, 
and the ice supplied the village last summer was taken from this small lake 
into which the ditch empties. 
Dr. Johnson writes that the outbreak of typhoid fever appeared early in 
August, following a severe epidemic of dysentery. Up to Dec. 21, he knew 
of 350 cases, about ten per cent of which had terminated fatally. The later 
cases, however, are much more malignant than those which occurred during 
the summer and early fall. Persons have presented themselves daily at the 
office for a week, complaining of pain in head, chest and back, loss of 
appetite and distressing feeling of languor, but have shown no elevation of 
temperature; then, within twenty-four hours, the temperature will be up to 
104° or 105°. Diarrhoea was not present in the majority of the cases; indeed, 
constipation was more frequently the source of trouble. 
The well (known as the Davis well) from which the water was taken 
which was sent to us, is sixteen feet deep. It is situated under the house 
and is forty feet from the stables and privy. Thirteen of the inmates of the 
house had the fever. (The doctors have failed to inform us of the total 
number occupying the house or using the water.) 
An analysis of the water by Messrs. Brewster and Brown shows the 
following: 
Free ammonia, parts per million, 2.27. 
Albuminoid ammonia, parts per million, 0.26. 
Chlorine, grains per gallon, 8.00. 
These figures give unquestionable proof that the water is contaminated 
With animal excretions. 
Manning’s well, situated just across the street from the Davis well, is a 
drive well, carried down into the rock, and furnishes a fairly good water, 
notwithstanding the fact that surroundings are bad. Brewster and Brown 
give the following results of their analysis of this water: 
Free ammonia, parts per million, 0.017. 
Albuminoid ammonia, parts per million, 0.070. 
Chlorine, grains per gallon, 0.050. 
Dr. Crowell informs us that it has been decided to supply the village with 
water from some springs, the analysis of which show the following figures: 
Free ammonia, parts per million, 0.032. 
Albuminoid ammonia, parts per million, 0.039. 
Chlorine, grains per gallon, 0.10. 
Calcium carbonate, grains per gallon, 5.090. 
Magnesium carbonate, grains per gallon, 3.558. 
There can be no question about the need of a supply of pure water. This 
should by all means be obtained, and some provision should be made for dis- 
posing of excrement, slops and garbage. It matters not how cold it may be 
this winter, the low temperature will not destroy the typhoid germ unless 
there be successions of freezing and thawing. And with the soil filled with 
these germs some of them will be likely to find their way into the air breathed, 
food eaten or water drank, and produce the disease. It should also be remem- 
bered that typhoid fever may be caused by the use of impure ice. 
Since writing the above, Dr. Crowell has furnished us with some additional 
facts of interest. “ The fever was brought to the village by a man from 
a railroad construction camp. This man died a few days after his arrival. 
The symptoms were very variable. In some they were typical from EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON THE CAUSATION OF TYPHOID FEVER. 
11 
beginning to end, but in others they were very irregular. Constipation for 
the first ten days and frequently throughout the whole course of the disease 
existed in half the cases; and the abdominal symptoms, pain, tenderness, 
tympanitis, gurglingin the right iliac fossa, although certainly present in 
many cases, were conspicuously absent in a very large number. Intestinal 
hemorrhage occurred quite frequently and was the cause of death in one case 
in which we could never find any elevation of temperature. A subnormal 
temperature was very frequently observed, not only in the start, but through- 
out the disease. Failure of heart power, perforation, hemorrhage, pneu- 
monia and meningitis, in the order named, were the causes of death. In 
only one case could we get an autopsy. It was one in which the sjmptoms 
were least like typhoid. The temperature was low, and there were no abdom- 
inal symptoms and no diarrhoea; yet the ilium was darkly congested, there 
were ulcerations of Peyer’s patches, and, although no perforation could be 
seen, when the gut was inflated, it slowly collapsed.” 
In conclusion, we may state that there cannot be any doubt that the 
epidemic at Iron Mountain is one of genuine typhoid fever. The intestinal 
lesions were observed in the one post mortem. Similar lesions were found in 
the cat, the specific germ of typhoid fever exists in the water, and the chem- 
ical poison, or ptomaine, is formed by the growth of this germ. 
It is well known that typhoid fever invariably follows dry seasons, and is 
coincident with low water in wells (see paper by the Secretary of the Mich- 
igan State Board of Health. Report for 1884, pp. 89-114.) There are, on 
an average, about one thousand deaths and ten thousand cases of sickness 
from this disease annually in Michigan. These figures can be greatly 
reduced if people will cease polluting the soil about their houses with slops, 
garbage, cesspools and privy vaults, and will see to it that their drinking 
water is pure beyond all question. When there is any doubt the water 
should be boiled, but it should be remembered that, while the typhoid germ 
most frequently finds its way into the body with the drinking water, it may 
be taken in with any food, and even with the air. When a case of typhoid 
fever occurs, all discharges should be thoroughly disinfected, and the earth, 
water and air about our homes must be pure, if we escape this disease 
altogether. 12 
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.—REPORT OF SECRETARY, 1887. 
FOUR OASES OF POISONING FROM TYROTOXICON, WITH 
THREE FATAL RESULTS.* 
INVESTIGATIONS AS TO THE ORIGIN OF THE POISON; RESULTS OF THE 
AUTOPSY AND CHEMICAL ANALYSES. 
VICTOR C. VAUGHAN, M. D., PH. D. 
September 23, 1887, I was visited by Dr. -A. G. Mesic, of Milan, Michigan, 
who informed me that he had four members of a family under his charge, all 
of whom were seriously ill with peculiar symptoms, which he believed to be 
caused by tyrotoxicon. Since Dr. Mesic has written out for me the history 
of these cases, I will insert his report in full, as follows: 
“ Saturday, September 17, while passing the residence of S. H. Evans, a 
respectable farmer, I was called in to see him. I found him—a man of about 
fifty years, spare and muscular—vomiting severely, with flushed face, but with a 
temperature of 96° F. There was marked throbbing of the abdominal aorta; 
the tongue had a white, heavy coating, and the breathing was very labored. 
I set to work with the ordinary remedies to allay the vomiting, which had 
already continued for some hours. The vomited matters were colored with 
bile. Pupils were dilated, and a rash resembling that of scarlatina, but 
coarser, covered the chest, forearms, and legs below the knees, while the 
abdomen and thighs remained unaffected. As the bowels had not been 
moved since the beginning of the attack, I administered a purgative dose of 
calomel with a little podophyllin and rhubarb. On Sunday a small stool 
resulted. During that day and night, and the following day, the retching 
and vomiting continued. Small doses of carbolic acid seemed to give the 
most relief. After the movement of the bowels the symptoms were some- 
what more promising; but a heavy and unfavorable stupor was observable 
and persistent. 
“ On Sunday the coating of the tongue remained very thick, and had 
changed to a dark brown color. At first I thought that his symptoms indi- 
cated a depressed condition, which I had known in one instance to precede 
typhoid fever. However, after a few days, I concluded that I must look for 
the cause of the condition among the poisons; but I could think of no one 
* These cases were reported verbally to the State Board of Health at its meeting Oct. 11.1887, and 
an abstract of Ur. Vaughan’s report was printed in the pamphlet proceedings of that meeting. A 
vote of thanks was tendered to Dr. Vaughan, and he was asked to prepare a full report for puolica- 
tion in the Annual Report. This paper was published in the Medical News of Dec. 3, 1887. It is 
part of the First Quarterly Report of Work in the Michigan State Laboratory of Hygiene at the 
State University. H. B. B., Sec. S. B. of H. POISONING BY TYROTOXICON. 
13 
poison which would be likely to produce all the symptoms observed. Dur- 
ing Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday there was but little change, and the 
treatment was continued. 
“ On Thursday morning I found the son Arthur, a lad of eighteen years, 
strong and vigorous, suffering with the same symptoms, only in a more violent 
form. After supper on Wednesday evening, he was taken with nausea and 
vomiting. He had no rash, but the symptoms were otherwise identical with 
those of the father, except in being more severe. I gave a cathartic, which 
acted only slightly. 
“ At my evening visit I found Mrs. Evans, a lady of about forty-five, pre- 
viously in good health, with the same symptoms. In this case the stupor was 
more marked from the first. I was unable at any time to obtain any cathar- 
tic action in this case. Copious enemata of warm water were used, but suc- 
ceeded only in washing some hardened lumps from the rectum. By this time 
I had concluded that the poison was most likely tyrotoxicon. 
“ On Friday morning the only remaining member of the family at home, 
Miss Alma, sixteen years of age, was affected in the same way as the others. 
On that day I went to Ann Arbor, and gave a history of the cases so far to 
Dr. Vaughan, who, from the symptoms, thought that my diagnosis was most 
probably correct, and he advised with me as to treatment, which I carried 
out. I gave two grains of sodium salicylate every four hours, and used small 
doses of the tonics and stimulants, quinine, nux vomica, digitalis, whiskey, 
and the aromatic spirits of ammonia. On Saturday the symptoms in all 
remained unimproved, and in the mother and son the stupor and labored 
breathing grew more marked. 
“On Sunday, I again went to Ann Arbor, and brought Dr. Vaughan with 
me to see the patients. The temperature of the mother on Sunday was as 
low as 94°, and that of the son 95°. Dr. Vaughan agreed with me as to diag- 
nosis and treatment. Sunday evening the patients were all removed to the 
house of a neighbor, about forty rods distant (the reasons for this will be 
given later). Dr. Vaughan and I both expressed the feat that the mother, 
and possibly the son, would not live through the night. Both of these rapidly 
grew worse, and the son died at 7:45 A. M., and the mother at 4 P. M., 
Monday. 
“ During Monday the daughter rapidly grew worse, and at the time of her 
mother’s death could not be aroused, and practically she remained unconscious 
from that time on. The father was very weak, but retained his consciousness 
all the time. Convulsive movements of the limbs had been noticed in the son, 
but not in the mother. These now became more marked in the daughter, who 
remained in the heavy stupor, with labored breathing, until 5 P. M. Thursday, 
when she died. 
“ Mr. Evans has slowly improved, and now, October 18, is able to walk 
about the room. The sodium salicylate, even in the small doses used, seemed 
to cause severe headache; so apparent was this that the drug was discontinued, 
and drop doses of amyl nitrite, given every hour, seemed to relieve the pain 
in the head. The father’s temperature remained below the normal until 
Thursday, October 14, when it reached the normal. After this it was 
found once as high as 99.5°, then 99°, then again normal, where it 
remains. 
“All complained of a burning constriction in the throat, and difficulty in 
swallowing, and all, as long as they were conscious, frequently called for ice. 14 
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.—REPORT OF SECRETARY, 1887. 
In all the pulse was rapid and feeble, and death seemed to result from failure 
of the heart. Those who died voided urine involuntarily, while Mr. Evans 
passed small quantities frequently, and for this some buchu and uvaursa were 
given. During his convalescence some small doses of morphine were given 
to the father, as he was unable to sleep, and became very restless. He is 
now taking teaspoonful doses of the elixir of calisaya and iron every four 
hours.” 
As stated above by Dr. Mesic, I first saw these patients Sunday, September 
25. On a sofa in the room we found the daughter, Alma. She had been 
vomiting during the day, and seemed much exhausted. She was not inclined 
to talk, and seemed to be in a stupor, though when spoken to, she responded 
rationally. Her pupils were slightly dilated, her tongue coated, her pulse 120 
and weak, her face flushed, and a violent throbbing could be felt over the 
abdomen, which was retracted. Her temperature was 96°. 
In another room were the father, mother, and son, two of them dying. The 
father was rational, and talked with some freedom when I asked as to the 
kind of food they had been eating, etc. His pupils were normal. His face 
could not be said to present any peculiar feature. His pulse was rapid, 
breathing somewhat labored, and the throbbing of the abdominal aorta was 
plainly felt. The abdomen was retracted, and there was no pain on pres- 
sure. He complained of a burning constriction of the throat, swallowed Avith 
difficulty, and said that his throat and stomach felt as though they were on 
fire. 
The mother lay perfectly still with eyelids closed, as if in a deep sleep. 
Her pulse was rapid, her face had a livid flush, her breathing was about 35 
per minute, and labored. The skin was cool, but neither abnormally moist 
nor specially dry and harsh. She could not be aroused. In fact, she was 
comatose. 
The son rolled uneasily from one side of the bed to the other. His breath- 
ing, also, was very labored. His eyelids were closed, and the pupils were 
markedly dilated—did not respond to light. He could not be aroused. In 
mother and son, as well as in father and daughter, the abdomen was retracted, 
and the throbbing of the abdominal aorta was easily felt. 
Now, to what were these symptoms due? They were certainly those of 
some poison. Dr. Mesic had brought me some of the vomited matter, which 
I tested thoroughly for mineral poisons, with negative results. The symp- 
toms certainly Avere not those of morphine, strychnine, digitalis, or aconite. 
They did have some resemblance to those of belladonna, but yet they were 
not the symptoms of belladonna. The pupils were not as widely dilated as 
they would be in belladonna poisoning. There was in none of these persons 
the active delirium of belladonna poisoning. There was no picking at the 
clothing, no grasping of imaginary objects in the air, no hallucinations of 
vision. Surely it could not be any vegetable alkaloid with which I was 
familiar. 
On the other hand, we know that nausea, vomiting, headache, dilatation of 
the pupil, rapid pulse, heavy breathing, constipation, and great prostration, 
with stupor, do occur in cases of poisoning with certain ptomaines. There- 
fore, we began to look for conditions which would be favorable for the pro- 
duction of putrefactive alkaloids. These conditions Ave were not long in 
finding. 
The family, which consisted of the four persons sick, and of a daughter, 15 
POISONING BY TYROTOXICON. 
about twenty years of age. who was away from home at the time when the 
others were taken ill, and for some months before that time, was evidently a 
tidy one. This was shown by their personal appearance, and by the clothing 
and bedding. But the house in which they lived was very old and very 
much decayed. Mr. Evans had purchased the farm six years ago, and for 
some three years past, at least, they had been troubled every now and then, 
one or more of the family, with nausea and vomiting, followed by more or 
less prostration. But in no instance, up to the present illness, had the 
symptoms been sufficient to cause them to summon a physician. The family 
had worked hard in order to pay for the farm, and had determined to make 
the old house do until they were out of debt. Even before this family had 
moved to the farm, the house had been known among the neighbors as an 
unhealthy one, and there had been much sickness and a number of deaths 
among its former tenants. 
The house is a frame one, and one of the neighbors said to me that it was 
an old house when he came to the neighborhood thirty-seven years ago. It 
consists of two rooms on the ground-floor, with attic rooms above. The 
frame rests upon four large logs or sills, which lay directly upon the ground, 
and are thoroughly rotten. There is no cellar under any part of the house. 
From the front, at least, the surface slopes toward the house, and the rain 
water runs under it. In the floor of one room a trap door had been placed, 
and directly under this a small excavation had been made for the purpose of 
collecting the rain water when it accumulated under the house. Although 
this pit was dry at the time of our examination, its sides and bottom were 
marked with cray-fish holes, showing that water had stood in it. The floor 
was laid of unjointed boards, and every time that it was swept much of the 
filth fell through the cracks, and every time that the tidy housewife scoured 
and mopped the floor, the water, carrying with it the filth, ran through the 
crevices, and thus the conditions most favorable for putrefactive changes 
were brought into existence, and maintained. 
One corner of one of the rooms had been transformed into a small room, 
or buttery, as it was called, and in this, on shelves, the food was kept. On 
account of the more frequent scouring demanded by that part of the floor 
enclosed in this buttery, the boards had rotted away, and a second layer of 
boards had been placed over the original floor. Between these two floors we 
found a great mass of moist, decomposing matter, the accumulations of 
years, which the broom could not reach. When this floor was taken up a 
peculiar, nauseating odor was observable, and was sufficient to produce 
nausea and vomiting in one of the persons engaged in the examination. 
Some of the dirt from beneath the floor, and some of that which had accu- 
mulated between the boards in the buttery was taken for further study. 
The condition of the house was supposed to be unfavorable to the patients, 
and for this reason they were moved, as Dr. Mesic has stated, to the house of 
a neighbor. Of course, thorough examination of the house was not made 
until the patients had been removed. 
Special inquiry was now made concerning the food used by this family. 
They had been living very simply. They lived upon bread, butter, milk, 
and potatoes, with coffee and ripe fruit. They had eaten no canned foods 
for months. They ate but little meat. Occasionally a chicken was killed 
and served, and rarely some fresh meat was obtained from the village. Dur- 
ing the week in which they were taken ill, all the meat used consisted of 16 
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.—REPORT OF SECRETARY, 1887. 
slices from a piece of bacon, the only meat which was kept in the house, and 
a chicken. None of the latter remained, but the bacon was examined. It 
seemed in perfect conditon and contained no trichinae. Moreover, as has 
been seen from the history of the cases, all the members of the family were 
not made sick by any one meal, but the opportunity of obtaining the poison 
must have been present for some time. Moreover, the fact that previous 
similar, but less severe attacks had occurred at intervals for the past three 
years convinced us that the poison must owe its origin to some long existing 
condition. 
The drinking water supply was also investigated. The water was obtained 
from a shallow well, and some of it was taken for analysis. But several 
families had for years used water from this well, and had remained healthy. 
The milk used by the family was studied. Of course, we could get none 
of that which had been used before the members of the family were stricken 
down. As soon as he made the diagnosis of tyrotoxicon poisoning, Dr. Mesic 
ordered the discontinuance of the use of milk, not only with the sick, but he 
forbade the daughter, who had returned, and any of the visitors using it. 
Mr. Evans owned four milch cows and they were supplied with fair pastur- 
age and abundant water. The greater part of the milk was placed in tin 
cans, which were set in a wooden trough in the yard, and surrounded by 
cold water. The covers to the cans were arranged so that the air could have 
free access to the milk, and were left in this position until the milk was 
thoroughly cooled. Indeed, the cans were furnished by a creamery company, 
which followed the directions which I have previously given for the care of 
milk. On his first visit to me, Dr. Mesic brought some of the milk from one 
of these cans. This I examined, but failed to find tyrotoxicon in it. 
However, the family did not drink any of the milk from the cans. That 
which they did use was kept in the buttery which I have described. Here it 
stood upon a shelf and some members of the family at least were in the habit 
of drinking from it between meals. This was especially true, it is said, of the 
son. He would frequently come from his work in the fields, go into the 
buttery and drink a glass or more of the milk. Mr. Evans states that he fre- 
quently observed that the taste of the milk was not pleasant. On my first visit 
to the premises, I advised that some milk should be taken from the cans, al- 
lowed to stand in the buttery over night and be sent to me the next day. This 
was done, and in this milk we found tyrotoxicon not only by the employment 
of chemical tests, but by poisoning a kitten with it. 
On the death of the mother and son, Dr. Mesic asked for a post-mortem, 
but the friends objected, and the undertaker used an arsenical embalming 
fluid, so that, although consent was subsequently obtained, it was decided 
that the examination would be so vitiated as to be worthless. On the death 
of the daughter, Dr. 0. C. Jenkins, the coroner, summoned a jury and held 
an inquest. The post-mortem was conducted by Dr. George A. Hendricks, 
in the presence of the jury and several physicians who had been invited. Dr. 
Hendricks has kindly furnished me with his report, which I present here in 
full: 
The “autopsy was held fifteen hours after death. The abdominal viscera 
were first examined. The great omentum was small, in normal position, cov- 
ering the small intestine. The small intestine was moderately distended with 
flatus. The jejunum was ashy-green in color; the ileum purplish-green. 
About eighteen inches from the termination of the ileum was found a diver- POISONING BY TYROTOXICON. 
17 
ticulum two inches in length. The small intestine contained very little ali- 
mentary matter. The vermiform appendix was free, contained some small 
fecal lumps, and showed no evidence of any inflammation. The caecum, as- 
cending, transverse, and descending colon, were empty and their circular 
fibres were tightly constricted, except at intervals where the intestine was dis- 
tended with gas. The sigmoid flexure was moderately distended with gas, 
and the rectum contained small bits of fecal matter. The stomach was some- 
what contracted and lay wholly upon the left side of the median line. It 
contained a few ounces of fluid. Its extremities were ligated and the organ 
removed. The mucous membrane of the stomach and intestine were not ex- 
amined until they reached the chemist. The duodenum was distended with 
flatus. The liver was normal in size and appearance. The gall-bladder con- 
tained about one ounce of bile. The spleen was normal. One-half ounce of 
fluid deeply stained with blood was found in Douglas’ cul-de-sac. The uterus, 
Fallopian tubes, and ovaries were deeply congested. The left ovary was en- 
larged and presented on its posterior surface a hemorrhagic spot, oval, about 
one-half line in length, and several other less distinct ones. The right ovary 
was normal in size and showed numerous Graaffian scars. The ureters and 
bladder were normal; the latter contained a small amount of urine. The 
peritoneum, pancreas, and kidneys, were perfectly normal. 
“ The thoracic cavity was next opened. The lungs were normal; there was 
about one-half ounce of free serum in the left pleural cavity; none in the 
right. Pericardium normal; right auricle in diastole; left auricle and both 
ventricles in systole. 
The dura mater showed venous congestion;” the arachnoid normal; the 
pia-mater congested. On the surface of the centrum ovale, small drops of 
blood oozed from the divided vessels. The large veins of the velum interposi- 
tum were distended. Third and fourth ventricles were slightly ‘distended 
with serous fluid, but the walls were normal. There seemed to be slight 
softening of the optic thalami. The sub-arachnoid fluid was about twice the 
normal quantity. 
On examination of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestine in 
the presence of the chemist, Prof. A. B. Prescott, nothing abnormal could be 
found. The membrane was stained with bile, but there was not the slightest 
redness. The solitary glands were distinct but not at all inflamed. Peyer’s 
patches were normal. 
It will be seen that there existed no lesion which would account for the 
death. The venous congestion observed in the brain would follow from fail- 
ure of the heart. 
Some of the post-mortem appearances bore a striking resemblance to those 
which I had observed in cats poisoned with tyrotoxicon. This was especially 
noticeable in the condition of the mucous membrane of the stomach and 
intestine. Tyrotoxicon produces the symptoms of a gastro-intestinal irritant, 
but not the lesions. The contraction of the circular fibres of the intestine, 
which undoubtedly caused the constipation, I had also observed in cats that 
died from tyrotoxicon poisoning without either vomiting or stool. The action 
of this poison upon the stomach and intestines must be through the nervous 
system. Small doses cause both vomiting and purging, while, after large 
doses, vomiting may be impossible, and obstinate constipation may exist. 
Both the vomiting and purging after small doses are undoubtedly due in part 
to increased activity of the circular fibres of the muscular coats, induced 18 
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.—REPORT OF SECRETARY, 1887. 
through the nerves; and the inability to vomit, and the constipation, one or 
both of which may be observed after large doses of the poison, are due to 
spasm of the same muscles, induced in the same manner. 
Prof. A. B. Prescott was requested by Coroner Jenkins to analyze the 
material for mineral and vegetable poisons. He made analyses of the stom- 
ach and part of its contents, and a portion of the liver. His results were 
wholly negative. 
Mr. F. G-. Novy tested a cold-water extract of the finely divided intestine 
for ptomaines. The fluid, which was acid in reaction, was filtered, then 
neutralized with sodium bicarbonate, and shaken with ether. The ether, 
after separation, was removed and allowed to evaporate spontaneously. The 
residue was dissolved in water, and extracted again with ether. This ether 
residue gave the chemical reactions for tyrotoxicon, and a portion of it was 
administered to a kitten about two months old. Within half an hour after 
the administration the kitten began to retch, and soon it vomited. Within 
the next three hours it was noticed to vomit as many as five times. The 
breathing became rapid and labored. The animal sat with its head down, and 
seemed greatly prostrated. The pupils were examined, but could not be said to 
be dilated. There was no purging. The retching and heavy breathing, with 
evidences of prostration, continued more or less marked for two days, after 
which the animal slowly improved. 
A quantity of fresh milk was divided into five portions of one quart each, 
placed in quart bottles which had been thoroughly cleansed, and treated in 
the following manner: 
Ho. 1 consisted of the milk only, and was employed as a control test. 
No. 2 was mixed with a drachm of vomited matter. 
No. 3 was treated with a portion of the contents of the stomach. 
No. 4 was treated with an aqueous extract of the intestine. 
No. 5 was treated with a small portion of the soil, which had been taken 
from the floor of the buttery, stirred up with water. 
These bottles were placed in an air-bath, and kept at a temperature of 
from 25° to 30° 0. for twenty-four hours. Then each was tested for 
ptomaines. No. 1 yielded no tyrotoxicon, while all of the others contained 
this poison. The tests were both chemical and physiological. All of the 
samples yielded a non-poisonous base when treated according to Brieger’s 
method, and the same substance was obtained from perfectly fresh milk. 
It is most probably formed by the action of the heat and reagents employed 
in this method. This base was obtained in crystalline form, and several 
portions of it were administered to kittens without any effect. The further 
study of this body will be of interest to toxicologists, because it gives many 
of the general alkaloidal reactions. At first we supposed it to be Brieger’s 
neuridin, and this supposition may still be correct, but, as we obtained it, it 
gave some reactions which are not given by neuridin. Further investi- 
gations will be made on this point. 
Tyrotoxicon was obtained from the filtered milk by two methods: (1) 
The one which we have previously used, and which consists in neutralizing 
the filtered milk with sodium bicarbonate, and extracting with ether, That 
portion of the poison employed in the physiological tests was obtained in this 
way, and in order to be sure that no poison came from the ether, the extract 
from the milk to which nothing had been added was given to a kitten, and 
was found to produce no effect. (2) The filtrate firom the milk was heated POISONING BY TYROTOXICON. 
19 
to 70° C. (158° F. (tyrotoxicon decomposes at 91° C.) (195.8° F.)) 
for some minutes, and filtered. This filtrate, which was perfectly clear, 
was treated with a small quantity of nitric acid in order to convert 
the tyrotoxicon into a nitrate, then pure potassium hydrate in the 
solid form was added until the solution was strongly alkaline. This solution 
was concentrated so far as it could be, on the water-bath. (The potassium 
compound of tyrotoxicon is not decomposed below 130° 0. (234 F.)) The 
dark brown residue, after cooling, was examined with the microscope and 
found to contain the crystalline plates of tyrotoxicon-potassium hydrate, 
along with the prisms of potassium nitrate. The former was sepa- 
rated from the latter by extraction with absolute alcohol and filtra- 
tion. The alcohol was evaporated to dryness on the water-bath, and 
the residue again extracted with absolute alcohol. From this alcoholic 
solution tyrotoxicon was precipitated with ether. The precipitate was 
decomposed by adding acetic acid and heating, the tyrotoxicon being broken 
up into nitrogen and phenol. The phenol was recognized by precipitation 
with bromine water, and by other well-known tests. 
On October 8th, the coroner’s inquest, which had been adjourned after 
the post-mortem, in order to await the results of the analysis, was resumed, 
and after hearing the testimony in accordance with the above stated facts, 
the jury returned a verdict of death from poisoning with tyrotoxicon. 
Ehrhart has recently published the history of some cases of poisoning from 
cheese, of which the following is an abstract: The family of a workman,, 
consisting of eight persons, ate for supper 600 grammes (about 18 ounces) 
of Limburger cheese. The rind was covered with a heavy mould, while the 
interior had become fluid from putrefaction, and was of bitter taste. Three 
ate only of the mouldy rind, and these remained well. The next morning, 
the five who had eaten of the inner portion suffered from vertigo, nausea, 
vomiting, and abdominal pains; no stool. The father had convulsive move- 
ments of all the extremities. The pupils were dilated, and did not respond 
to light; there were double vision, cold sweat, skin cynanotic, abdomen dis- 
tended, difficulty in swallowing, delirium, mild trismus, and temperature 40° 
C. (104° F.). The temperature of the mother, on account of the great col- 
lapse, was sub-normal. She had no convulsive movements, but there was 
prolonged loss of consciousness. The pulse was small and thready, and 
threatened paralysis of the heart. Recovery was very slow. The others suf- 
fered only from gastro-enteric symptoms. Ehrhart discussed the question as 
to whether these symptoms were due to tyrotoxicon, or to infection with 
micro-organisms; but as I have not had access to his original paper, I do not 
know what his conclusions are. (Schmidt’’s Jalirbilclier, B. 213, S. 248.) 
However, there cannot be much doubt that in those cases in which the organ- 
ism is taken into the alimentary canal, it continues the elaboration of its 
poisonous products. 
There is one other point to which I will only refer at this time. It seems 
now that small doses of tyrotoxicon, especially when repeated, elevate the 
temperature. This is probably due to peripheral irritation, which is a com- 
mon cause of elevation of temperature. On the other hand, fatal doses cause 
depression of temperature from collapse. 20 
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.—REPORT OF SECRETARY, 1887. 
EXPOSURE OF THE STEXOCARPINE FRAUD.* 
BY F. G. NOVY, M. S. 
In a paper published in the New York Medical Record, July 30, 1887, Dr. 
J. EL Claiborne, Jr., called attention to anew local anaesthetic which was said 
to have been obtained by Doctors Goodman and Seward from the leaves of a 
tree growing in Louisiana. Strange to say, neither of the two discoverers 
were able to name the tree which yielded this new alkaloid. Nevertheless, 
in order that the new base might not go unnamed, Dr. Seward dubbed it 
Stenocarpine, because of the likeness the tree bore to Acacia stenocarpa. 
This comparison was, as Dr. Hoffman at once remarked (Rundschau, Sept. 
1887, p. 214), very suspicious, since A. stenocarpa is not an American plant, 
but is a native of Central Africa. 
Dr. Claiborne’s paper, detailing some experiments with this new alkaloid, 
was followed by another in the same journal (Aug. 13), from no less an 
authority than Prof. Knapp, of New York, who made some physiological 
experiments with the same substance. He arrived at the conclusion “ that 
the new local anaesthetic is very similar to cocaine, chiefly differing from it 
by its more powerful and lasting mydriatic property.” In a still more recent 
article Dr. Claiborne (Med. Record, Oct. 1), announced the source of the 
new alkaloid to be the Gleditschia triacanthos, Linn., also at first indicated 
by Dr. Hoffman. Another peculiar thing was, that neither Goodman nor 
Seward had in their possession any specimen of the leaves from which they 
had extracted their alkaloid. At Dr. Claiborne’s request Mr. Goodman 
wrote to Louisiana for some of the leaves. After some delay, a batch of 
leaves was received which did not appear to be identical with those from 
which the anaesthetic principle had been obtained. Accordingly more 
explicit directions were sent, and this time the genuine leaves were received 
and identified as those of Gleditschia. The reason which they assigned 
for not having any of the leaves in their possession was that they had 
reduced the active principle on the banks of the Mississippi, and then 
brought it to New York. 
It is pertinent to observe at this point that no communication has been 
made as to the chemical properties of this new substance, although Dr. 
Seward is reported as having analyzed the leaves and isolated from them the 
* A paper similar to this, but having a different title, was published in the Pharmaceutische 
Rundschau, for November, 1887. 
The solution of which this report treats, consisted of a mixture which contained a dangerous 
quantity of cocaine, and was advertised as a perfectly safe preparation from the honey locust. It 
was treated ofpooularly by the newspapers before its exposure, and all classes were more or less 
interested in it. The exposure was so complete that the preparation was driven from the market. 
If the purity of medicine is of value to public health, certainly this exposure is. EXPOSURE OF THE STENOCARPINE FRAUD. 
21 
active principle, which was found to be an alkaloid. Beyond this mere 
mention, and the statement made by Mr. Goodman that “the new alkaloid is 
not, strictly speaking, a powder, but a semi-liquid mass, of a greenish tint,” 
no further communications can be found. Inasmuch as the salt was said not 
to be permanent, a two per cent solution was recommended. An ounce of 
this solution cost $6.00, which would give sixty cents as the cost per grain. 
It is, therefore, all the more surprising that such well-informed and experi- 
enced physicians as Dr. Knapp and Dr. Claiborne should give full credence, 
without stopping to ask for positive proofs, as to the individuality and gen- 
uineness of this substance. 
At the request of Messrs. Lehn and Fink I examined what was labeled as a 
“two per cent solution of the so-called Gleditschine or Stenocarpine,” and 
the results obtained deserve the attention of all those interested in “new and 
wonderful remedies.” 
The solution was light yellow in color, acid in reaction, and possessed a 
sweetish odor, strongly resembling that of liquorice. 
An examination for inorganic acids showed the presence of hydrochloric 
acid and a small quantity of sulphuric acid. 
A definite quantity of the liquid was acidulated with hydrochloric acid and 
extracted with ether. The residue obtained on evaporation of the ether was 
colorless and crystalline and corresponded to 0.31 per cent. It possessed a 
strong “Fine-cut ” like odor and was found to be Salicylic acid. FeaCl„ and 
PtCl4 gave the characteristic pink to violet color with solutions of the resi- 
due. It may be well to remark here that the latter reagent, PtCl4, is equally 
as good as Fe„016 in testing for salicylic acid. The color reaction in both 
cases is almost identical. 
The acid aqueous solution containing the alkaloid was now rendered alka- 
line with Nli4OH, and again extracted with ether. The addition of the 
alkali produced a heavy white precipitate which dissolved readily in ether. 
The clear ether solution on spontaneous evaporation left a colorless crystal- 
line residue possessing the characteristic odor of cocaine. It gave an alka- 
line reaction with moist litmus paper. The solution of its hydrochloride 
gave with ordinary and with alkaloidal reagents reactions identical with those 
of cocaine. The free alkaloid, when recrystallizing in a glass dish, formed at 
first a colorless syrup, which gradually became crystalline. Cocaine very 
often shows the same behavior. The syrup as well as the crystals possessed a 
bitter taste, and produced a strong flow of saliva and a benumbing effect on 
the tongue. The crystals melted at 89° C. 
A small portion of the alkaloid was heated with a few drops of nitric acid 
for a few minutes and then gently evaporated to dryness. The cold residue 
touched with a few drops of alcoholic solution of KOEt developed a beautiful 
violet color, and at the same time a strong odor of methyl benzoic esther. 
This color reaction is characteristic of the atropine group of alkaloids. It is 
well to note at this point that, when cocaine is treated in the same manner, 
no color reaction is obtained, but the characteristic odor of benzoic esther 
(similar to Oil of Wintergreen) is always produced on the final treatment 
with alcoholic solution of potash. Minute quantities of cocaine can thus be 
distinctly recognized. As a qualitative test for the presence of cocaine, it is 
perhaps the best that I am acquainted with. 
Whilst speaking of cocaine, I desire to make note of the observation, 
numerous statements to the contrary, that chloroform does not readily extract 22 
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.—REPORT OF SECRETARY, 1887. 
cocaine from alkaline solutions. In fact I have been unable, even on pro- 
longed agitation with chloroform, to remove the precipitate of cocaine 
produced by addition of NH4OH to solutions of its salts. 
Two determinations were made of the amount of the free alkaloids present 
in the “Gleditschine”-solution. This was found to be 5.81 and 5.87 per cent. 
The specimen, it will be remembered, was labeled as a 2 per cent solution 
of Gleditschine. 
On the label, the formula O„0H21NO3 was ascribed to this new alkaloid. 
In order to more fully confirm the results given above, and at the same time 
to see what truth, if any, lay in the formula assigned, the alkaloidal residue 
was recrystallized several times from alcohol and from ether, and then sub- 
jected to ultimate analysis. The platinochloride was also made and the per 
cent of platinum determined. In the following table the results obtained 
are compared with the theoretical percentages calculated for cocaine, for 
atropine, and for “Gleditschine,” O20H21NO3. 
%H. 
%Pt- 
Found in the base extracted from the so-called 
Gleditschine solution... 
67.84 
7.23 
19.41 
Calculated per cent: 
in Cocaine (C17H211S[04) 
67.33 
6.93 
19.14 
in Atropine (C17H23N03) 
70.06 
7.96 
19.70 
in CaoH21NOs 
74.30 
6.50 
18.43 
The above results confirm most decidedly the conclusion already arrived 
at—namely, that the so-called Gleditschine or Stenocarpine is nothing but a 
mixture of cocaine and atropine. 
In order to ascertain the amount of atropine present in the solution, the 
amount of H2S04 was determined and found to be 0.073 per cent. This 
amount, calculated as atropine sulphate, gives 0.50 per cent of the latter 
salt. The per cent of atropine thus obtained was subtracted from the per 
cent of total alkaloids and the difference calculated as cocaine hydrochloride. 
This was found to correspond to 6.03 per cent. 
The so-called Gleditschine or Stenocarpine consists, therefore, essentially 
of 6.00 per cent of Cocaine hydrochloride, 0.50 per cent of Atropine sulphate, 
and about a third of a per cent of Salicylic acid. The latter is used as a 
preservative. 
Immediately after making my analysis of the solution of “ Gleditschine,” 
as reported above, I obtained two pounds of the perfectly fresh leaves from a 
hedge growing in Ann Arbor, and which Prof. Spaulding of the Chair of 
Botany pointed out to me as being Gleditschia triacanthos. These two 
pounds were subjected to chemical analysis. The leaves were thoroughly 
crushed in an iron mortar, then repeatedly extracted with a dilute alcohol 5 per 
cent solution of sulphuric acid. The concentrated percolate thus obtained was 
evaporated at a low temperature to drive otf the alcohol. The aqueous solu- 
tion was then filtered and the filtrate, after being made alkaline with 
ammonia, was thoroughly extracted with ether. The ether solution was 
agitated with a dilute aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid for the purpose 
of forming hydrochlorides of any alkaloids that might be present in the 
ether solution. The acid aqueous solution was now made alkaline with 
ammonia and extracted with ether. The ethereal solution on spontaneous 
evaporation left behind a scarcely perceptible residue which contained some EXPOSURE OF THE STENOCARPINE FRAUD. 
23 
ammonium chloride. Applied to the clean mucous membrane it produced no 
anaesthetic effect whatever, though it seemed to me that a slight aconite 
like tingling was felt. The residue, dissolved in a few drops of dilute hydro- 
chloric acid, gave the following reactions: 
Iodine in potassium iodide, a brown precipitate much darker than that 
produced by either cocaine or the “ Gleditschine ” solution. 
Picric acid, an abundant yellowish white precipitate. 
Mayer’s Reagent, a white precipitate. 
Phospho-molybdic acid, a heavy white flocculent precipitate. 
The remainder of the hydrochloric acid solution was evaporated to dryness 
on a water-bath, treated with a few drops of nitric acid and again evaporated 
to dryness. A drop of alcoholic potash added to the residue produced neither 
coloration nor any odor. This same test applied to the alkaloids from the 
“ Gleditschine ” solution gave a beautiful violet color and a strong odor of 
methyl benzoic esther. 
These results then show that the leaves of Gleditschia triacanthos do not 
contain the alkaloid which they were reported to contain. Traces of an 
alkaloid were, however, found to be present, and these gave reactions differ- 
ent from the alkaloid of the “ Gleditschine ” solution. It will be well to add 
that the leaves of this tree have been examined a short time ago by B. H. 
Paul and A. J. Cownley (Pharm. Journ. and Trans. Oct. 15, p. 317); by Mr. 
Thompson of Parke, Davis & Co. (Medical Age, Oct. 25, p. 466) and by Prof. 
Karl Mohr of Mobile (Pharm. Rundschau, Nov. 1, p. 250), all of whom have 
obtained negative results. 
Hygienic Laboratory, University of Michigan, 
Ann Arbor, Nov. 9, 1887.