a disease of the nervous system caused by botulin developments in spoiled foods eaten by animals and man; a variety of bacterial food poisoning. See also:Poison a toxic condition caused by a neurotoxin in improperly canned or preserved food. ...
botulism(bŏchˈəlĭzˌəm), acute poisoning resulting from ingestion of food containing toxins produced by the bacillusClostridium botulinum.The bacterium can grow only in an anaerobic atmosphere, such as that found in canned foods. Consequently, botulism is almost always caused by preserve...