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Samples of the Cheese were therefore handed to Mr. Kear Colwell (Public Analyst
for the Borough of Finsbury), who reported as follows:—
Chemical Laboratory,
Finsbury Town Hall, E.C.,
November 22nd, 1901.
I received from the Medical Officer of Health (Dr.Newman) on the undermentioned
dates four samples of Cheese for examination, more particularly with regard to the
presence of any substance which would have been likely to cause injury to health, all the
samples being part of a consignment which he had reason to suspect.
Sample No. Weight. Date of Receipt.
I. 1 oz. 23rd October, 1901.
II. l½ ozs. 28th October, 1901.
III. 6 lbs. 29th October, 1901.
IV. 2½ lbs. 8th November, 1901.
Sample No. I. was very small in quantit, and consisted of a dry, hard piece of rind,
evidently the unconsumed portion of a slice cut from a Dutch Cheese.
Sample No. II. was a thin, dry, hard slice of the same kind of Cheese as No. I.
There was nothing abnormal in the smell, colour, or taste of either of these samples, nor
was I able to detect any mineral or organic poisons after an extremely careful examination.
Sample No. III. when handed to me was normal in appearance and fairly moist. It
had a peculiar sour smell, as though undergoing slight fermentation. On analysis of
this sample, the following results were obtained: —
Water 42.60 per cent.
Fat 18.83 „
Proteids, &c. 32.29 „
Mineral Matter 6.28 „
These figures are fairly typical of ordinary Dutch Cheese.
A careful examination was made for mineral poisons with negative results, but from
the cold aqueous extract of some four ounces after treatment with ether and subsequent
purification, I obtained a small quantity of a body possessing the characteristics of
Tyro-toxicon, a poisonous ptomaine, first isolated from Cheese by Vaughan. Nothing
is definitely known as to the exact mode of formation of this body, but it is probably the
product of some organism, its production being generally associated with butyric
fermentation. Vaughan considers it to be identical with diazo-benzene butyrate,
but the evidence in favour of this view is not absolutely conclusive.
Exposed to moist air Tyro-toxicon is rapidly decomposed, and it is probably on this
account that I failed to isolate it from samples Nos. I. and II., although No. I. had
undoubtedly caused illness. Furthermore, it does not appear to be uniformly distributed
through the Cheese, as in sample No. III. portions were tested which did not yield
Tyro-toxicon. Some authorities consider this to be additional evidence of the fermentative
origin of this ptomaine.
Sample No. IV., which was similar in composition to No. III. Tyro-toxicon after
repeated tests.
In the present state of our knowledge with regard to the mode of formation of Tyrotoxicon,
no blame or negligence can be attributed to anyone, but in order to facilitate
investigation when similar epidemics arise, I venture to suggest that the provisions of