Newkirk - Halsey
Source: Crawfordsville Review Tuesday, Jan 4, 1916
Waynetown, Jan 3 -- Haley NEWKIRK living west of this place is very low with a
disease that has baffled the physicians for several weeks past.
The lad and his mother, Mrs. George Newkirk were stricken about
the same time with what was pronounced milk sickness. The mother
died Dec 10. It was thought the lad might recover. Now his aged
grandmother, Mrs. Lemuel Cooper is afflicted with seemingly the
same ailment and is not expected to recover. -- typed by kbz
Source: Crawfordsville Review, Friday, Jan 7, 1916
Waynetown Jan 6 -- Despite the fact that there has been two deaths near here with a mysterious disease which the older people declare is milk sickness, similar to the plague that once existed in the pioneer days in the western part of Montgomery County, the physician that attended both Mrs. George Newkirk and her son Halcey Newkirk asserts that their death results from ptomaine poisoning. When interviewed on the subject this evening Dr. JW Hurt, the attending physician said there had been a large quantity of canned food stored in the cellar of the Newkirk home some of which had been put up about 15 years ago. It is the opinion that use of this canned goods solves the mystery of the man and woman's death. So strong is he in this belief that he is to order the remainder of the food destroyed. Neighbors of the Newkirks are still, however, firm in their belief that the deaths resulted from a recurrence of the old scourge. Their opinion is based on the symptoms that were manifested by the recent victims. They declare that these symptoms were identical to the ones suffered by the victims of the old days. Recently outbreaks of milk sickness have appeared in Illinois. It was fatal there. While Mrs. Lemuel COOPER grandmother of the last victim of the poisoning is still ill, it was decided today that her sickness is not the same as that which caused the death of her daughter and grandson. County health physician, Dr. HW Sigmond has not made any investigation into the cases as yet. -- typed by kbz