1942 — Nov 18, Sodium fluoride poisoning, patients/staff, OR State Hosp., Salem, OR– 47

–47  Clements. “467 Poisoned at Oregon State Hospital November 18, 1942.” Salem Online History.

–47  Greenberg, Michael I.  Disasters: Terrorist, Natural and Man-Made. 2006, p. 35.[1]

–47  UP. “Oregon Hospital Poisoning Kills 47.” Stanford Daily, CA, 11-20-1942, p. 12.

 

Narrative Information

 

Nov 19: “Salem, Ore., Nov. 19.–(AP)–Forty-four insane inmates of Oregon State Hospital have died from an unidentified poison — possibly contained in frozen eggs — and a corps of physicians struggled today to save the lives of more than 400 other men and women.

 

“The poison struck swiftly, and within 15 minutes after dinner last night, at which the eggs were served scrambled, the victims began complaining of violent cramps. Within an hour the poison had caused the first death. By 10 p.m., five hours after the meal, 10 had died. By midnight, the toll had reached 32. Early today the total was reported to have reached 44.

 

“Dr. J. C. Evans, hospital superintendent, said: ‘They had nausea, vomiting blood and showed evidence of an acute toxic condition. Respiratory paralysis and violent cramps in the legs preceded death. Those who were not strong passed out immediately and died. Doctor Evans expressed the belief that the eggs, obtained from the Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation, contained some poison, or were toxic because of some chemical reaction. L. E. Barrick, Marion County coroner, called for an immediate investigation.

 

“All the deaths, 38 men and six women, occurred in four wards. Inmates of a fifth were ill, Doctor Evans said, but an attendant there tasted the eggs before they were served and allowed only a small amount to be eaten….

 

“Dr. Evans told the Board [of Control] that he was much worried that if some patient had poisoned the food, there might be future attempts at poisoning. “Some patients who have furlough privileges could have slipped some poison into the food,’ Dr. Evans said. “On the other hand, since many such eggs are shipped to the Army, there is the possibility that some saboteur poisoned a can. Two employes who tasted the eggs said they tasted salty, and that tends to confirm the theory that poison was placed in the food. But another employee said they tasted soapy, so I don’t know what th think.’

 

“The Agriculture Department at Washington, D.C., today ordered an immediate investigation into the handling of eggs believed responsible for the deaths….” (Associated Press. “Food Poison Kills 44 in Salem, Ore.” Oakland Tribune, CA, 11-19-1942, p. 1.)

 

Nov 19: “Chicago, Nov. 19.–(U.P.) — The poisoning which affected 460 patients at the Oregon State Hospital for the Insane took effect too quickly for the eggs to have been the cause, Arthur Doell, president of the National Egg Products, Inc., said today. ‘If eggs were bad enough to cause such violent poisoning, no one would ever have cooked them,’ Doell said. He remarked that it was ‘rather abnormal’ to hold frozen eggs in storage for six months, as the Salem Hospital had done before serving a scrambled egg dinner last night, which resulted in at least 44 deaths. Frozen eggs, he explained, must be kept at temperatures from five to 25 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. At five to 10 degrees above eggs soften and spoil. ‘The Oregon tragedy sounds like chemical poisoning to me,’ Doell said.” (United Press. “Eggs Not to Blame, Produce Head Says.” Oakland Tribune, CA, 11-19-1942, p. 1.)

 

Nov 19: “Salem, Ore., Nov. 19 (U.P.)–The poison introduced into scrambled eggs served at a fatal dinner last night at the Oregon State Mental Hospital, swiftly claiming at least 47 lives and leaving 400 patients violently ill, was sodium fluoride,[2] common cockroach poison, pathologists reported tonight. The sodium fluoride, which never before in the annals of medical science had brought such widespread destruction, was not contained in the original shipment of frozen eggs, from which the dinner was prepared, Dr. Frank Menne, University of Oregon pathologist, said.” (United Press. “Oregon Hospital Poisoning Kills 47.” The Stanford Daily, 11-20-1942, p. 12.)

 

Nov 21: “Salem, Ore., Nov. 21 (AP)–A few inmates of the Oregon state hospital for the insane remained in critical condition today from poisoning that killed 47 others. The poisoning was traced to roach exterminating powder, which somehow became mixed with scrambled eggs… The insecticide, containing lethal sodium fluoride, was stored in a cellar room. The insecticide resembles powdered milk, which is used in scrambling eggs at the hospital. The milk is stored in another cellar room. Police were investigating possibilities that: (1) the poison was put in the food in a deliberate murder attempt, perhaps by an inmate; (2) it was mixed in accidentally in a manner not yet determined.” (AP. “400 still ill of Poisoning.” Ogden Standard Examiner, UT, 11-21-1942, p. 1.)

 

Nov 21: “Salem, Ore., Nov 21.–(AP)–The mystery of the poisoned scrambled eggs in the Oregon state hospital which killed 47 patients was virtually cleared up tonight. Dr. John C. Evans, hospital superintendent, said A. B. McKillop, assistant cook in the institution, admitted that instead of bringing powdered milk from a storeroom himself to put into the eggs, because of the rush of work he had sent a trusted patient, giving him his keys, and that the patient evidently entered the wrong store-room, getting the roach poison….”[3] (AP. “Oregon Poison Egg Mystery is Solved.” Joplin Globe, MO, 11-22-1942, p. 1.)

 

Sources

 

Associated Press. “400 still ill of Poisoning.” Ogden Standard Examiner, UT, 11-21-1942, p. 1. Accessed 11-1-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/ogden-standard-examiner-nov-21-1942-p-1/

 

Associated Press. “Food Poison Kills 44 in Salem, Ore.” Oakland Tribune, CA, 11-19-1942, p. 1. Accessed 11-1-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/oakland-tribune-nov-19-1942-p-2/

 

Associated Press. “Oregon Poison Egg Mystery is Solved.” Joplin Globe, MO, 11-22-1942, p. 1. Accessed 11-1-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/joplin-globe-nov-22-1942-p-1/

 

Clements, Kathleen Carlson. “467 Poisoned at Oregon State Hospital November 18, 1942.” Salem Online History. Accessed 11-1-2017 at: http://www.salemhistory.net/brief_history/state_hospital_poisoning.htm

 

Greenberg, Michael I.  Disasters: Terrorist, Natural and Man-Made. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2006.

 

United Press. “Eggs Not to Blame, Produce Head Says.” Oakland Tribune, CA, 11-19-1942, p. 1. Accessed 11-1-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/oakland-tribune-nov-19-1942-p-2/

 

United Press.  “Oregon Hospital Poisoning Kills 47.” Stanford Daily, CA, 11-20-1942, p. 12. Accessed 11-1-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/stanford-daily-nov-20-1942-p-12/

 

[1] Cites: Ferrer A., Cabral R. Recent Epidemics of poisoning by pesticides. Toxicology Letters, 82-83, pp. 55-63.

[2] Clements notes that “Five grams–the size of an aspirin–would have been fatal…”

[3] Clements notes that “Despite McKillops’s insistence that O’Hare [another cook] bore not responsibility for the poisoning, and over the objections of the State Police…District Attorney M. B. Hayden ordered both cooks arrested. A grand jury declined to indict them; the patient…was never charged….”