Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 10, 1990 TAG: 9006100132
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: SOUTH BOSTON LENGTH: Short
Cultures of the food eaten at the dinner will be completed Monday, Karen Brasch, nursing supervisor at Halifax-South Boston Community Hospital, said Saturday. The state Health Department will help determine if the sickness was caused by food poisoning.
About 80 employees attended the between-shifts dinner Friday at the Presto Products Inc. plant on U.S. 58. The dinner included barbecue, roast beef and potato salad, according to company workers.
About 15 people were treated at the emergency room at Halifax-South Boston Community Hospital and released, said Mike Compton, associate director of nursing. He said as many as 50 may have been screened or treated at Presto Products.
"Food poisoning is suspected, but we don't know for sure," Compton said. "The symptoms certainly were typical of food poisoning."
One woman, who asked that her name not be released, was admitted and was in stable condition Saturday, Brasch said. Friday night's illness could be devastating to the woman's other medical problems, Brasch said.
Victims were given fluids intravenously to prevent dehydration, Compton said. They also were given injections of anti-nausea medications, he said. - Associated Press
by CNB