Oregon State Hospital Mass Poisoning

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Location: Salem, Oregon, United States of America
Dates Active: November 12, 1942
Category: Mass Deaths
Cause: Accidental Poisoning
Status: Closed
Entry ID: 011724D-00037

Summery: 

The accidental poisoning of a batch of scrambled eggs by a patient resulted in 47 deaths of both patients and staff.

In Depth:

The Oregon State Hospital in its earlier days served as a mental hospital, and staff and patients alike would often eat meals served up by the hospital's cafeteria. On the morning of November 18, 1942, a large number of patients and staff had gathered to have breakfast. During the meal, however, those that had eaten began to display signs of illness: vomiting blood, becoming paralyzed, and having intense pain.

Several died quickly, while others perished after hours of agonizing pain. In total, 47 patients and staff died, with a total of 467 people getting sick.

During the investigation, it was determined that one of the patients that was helping out in the kitchen had been asked to retrieve powdered milk to mix in with the scrambled eggs, but had mistakenly grabbed a box of sodium fluoride (a poison used to kill cockroaches) by mistake. The kitchen staff didn't catch the mistake because of the similarity in the powders and labeling.

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Last Updated: March 20, 2024

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