MEDICAL SCHOOL JOINS IN REPORT ON BOTULISM

An exhaustive investigation which has been carried on over a period of several years by the medical schools of Harvard, the University of California and Stanford University in cooperation with the United States Public Health Service has brought to light the fact that it is possible to avoid the food poisoning known as botulism by a proper amount of heating.

This announcement was made yesterday by the National Canner's Association who requested that the investigation be made in order to eliminate the danger of the botulinus from canned foods.

The board of directors of the association in Washington making its report on the findings of the research workers, declared:

"The research has proved that all canned goods, whether prepared at home or in a large factory, are safe if heated for a time that has been scientifically determined.

"This research work has occupied 30 scientific men with a corps of helpers since the sensational botulism outbreak in 1919 but as a result of the investigation, botulism is no longer a mystery for it has finally been conquered by heat.

"The influence of heat was studied under all possible conditions. In securing data from which conclusions were drawn, something like 100,000 specimens were heated and studied in detail.

"Sausages were formerly supposed to be the chief source of botulism, but it is now known that botulinus exists everywhere in nature and that its natural home is in the soil. It is found in the greatest abundance in soil that has never been cultivated".