200 Samoans

Poisoned By Turtle Feast

VILLAGERS of the Island of Aunuu, just off the eastern tip of Tutuila, American Samoa, caught a 300-pound turtle on No vember 16, ate same the following day and on Nov. 18 an epidemic of food poisoning prostrated 185 people, resulting in four deaths of children.

Both the Dispensary at Amouli village, under Medical Practitioner Richard Porter, and the staff of the main hospital were busy for three days, treating the afflicted.

Cause of poisoning is believed to be due either to the fact that persons cooking the turtle failed to remove a ruptured gall bladder from the meat, or that the turtle had eaten some sea food that later proved in jurious to humans.