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Summer fun in the South during the 1890s – there was always a possibility of food poisoning

POISONED BY ICE CREAM

(Transcribed from the Times Daily, July 11, 1890, Florence, Alabama)

The following persons who reside in East Florence were made quite sick on the evening of the 3rd last, by eating ice-cream: Mr. W. M. Wilkerson and wife, Mr. W. Blackmore, wife and baby; Mr. Eaves, Mrs. G. E. Bennie. Mr. G. E. Bennie’s mother and a colored woman, named Marriah. Seven of these people were relieved by Dr. Watson, while the other two were relieved by Dr. Arnold.

Ice cream - girl eating (Library of Congress) (2)Girl eating ice cream ca. 1913 (Library of Congress)

Doctors come to their aid

Dr. Bramlette, hearing of the situation, very gallantly came to offer any assistance in his power. The cream was prepared at Mr. Wilkerson’s house and the poisoning was entirely accidental. The physians in attendance believed it to be acidical (?) These ladies and gentlemen have entirely recovered and are to be congratulated, as deaths frequently result from ice-cream poisoning.

ALABAMA FOOTPRINTS- Pioneers – A Collection of Lost and Forgotten Stories

Other stories include:

  • The Yazoo land fraud;
  • Daily life as an Alabama pioneer;
  • The capture and arrest of Vice-president AaronBurr;
  • The early life of William Barrentt Travis in Alabama, hero of the Alamo;
  • Description of Native Americans of early Alabama including the visit by Tecumseh;
  • Treaties and building the first roads in Alabama.
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2 comments

  1. Summer FUN anywhere in the Deep South including Alabama???? Hotter than a firecracker and everyone is miserable being outdoors. Summer fun? Again I ask the question.

    1. That was long before the spoiled generation that just has to have air conditioning and all other comforts.