Elementary School Poisoning Linked to EMS in Kansas

January 17, 2004

RAPID LAKE, ID (Reuthers) A recent incident at the Barbara Bush Elementary

School sent 14 children to a local hospital. The children, ages 7-9, became

ill shortly after eating a lunch of Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, mixed

vegetables, and a roll. As the children began to fall to the cafeteria

floor, ambulances from Rapid Lake and 7 surrounding communities were

summoned. Eight of the 14 children were transported to Bow Valley Medical

Center and the others to Twin Falls Medical Center 17 miles west.

Wagner, MD, Medical Director of Bow Valley's Emergency Department said,

" While I can't give specific information, I can tell you that it was some

sort of poisoning. " " All of the children exhibited the effects of

depressants, " he said. Toxicology screens for two of the older children

returned positive for painkillers and sedatives called benzodiazepines.

School Principal Beth Lindsey said, " We are very troubled and worried about

this. " " Our school is safe and drug-free, " she said.

Pender County Health Department investigators called in

representatives from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta to help

investigate the mysterious poisoning. Investigators quarantined all of the

food in the cafeteria and had it tested by an independent lab. The Salisbury

steak showed high levels of opiates (a type of pain killer) and

benzodiazepines (a sedative like Valium). The meat was prepared in a

commercial kitchen in Kansas City, Missouri. CDC officials, armed with the

lot number of the tainted beef, reviewed the records. The meat in question

came from an Angus steer in Lawrence, Kansas.

Investigators from local, state and federal agencies descended

on the feedlot and ranch where the steer was raised and fed prior to

slaughter. Numerous samples of cattle feed failed to reveal the presence of

the substances. Empire County Health Director Wallace said, " We

were confused when one of the CDC investigators noticed that the farm is

next to Empire Ambulance's main offices. " Health officials interviewed

employees and management of Empire Ambulance and the cause of the poisoning

became clear. Millican, supply clerk and part-time EMT for Empire,

routinely made it a practice to " waste " expired drugs by squirting them onto

the grass in the field behind the station. " I have been doing this for years

and nobody has said nothing, " Millican said. Evidently, the cow in question

had been eating grass in the area where the drugs were wasted and was later

found by rancher Bill Caravalle to be a " downer cow. " The steer was sent to

the processing plant and the meat subsequently made it to Idaho. Officials

from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) were called. They found no specific violations of

federal or state laws but requested that Empire dispose of their expired

drugs in a different fashion. Walters, CEO of Empire Ambulance, said,

" We are very sorry about this and have made changes to keep it from

happening again. " Federal investigators are continuing to track where the

meat might have been sold. Several cases remained in the warehouse in Kansas

City and were seized and destroyed.

January 17, 2004

This is terrible I just finished eating Salisbury steak mashed potatoes and corn

from an esquire TV dinner. I mean like 5 minutes before I read this email.