Irony 1 - Lawrence County, Ill. Health Department 0

AP:
Health dept. sickened by own Christmas party
Contaminated ham at holiday gathering likely made 42 ill in southern Ill.

updated 6:43 p.m. ET, Mon., Dec. 22, 2008

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ill. - Some health department workers in southern Illinois think they may have discovered some contaminated food — at their own office Christmas gathering.

After the Lawrence County Health Department had a buffet for 72 people at a restaurant last week, 42 of the attendees suffered stomach problems, including the head of the department, Phyllis Wells.

"I'm telling you, it got me down. I about passed out and everything else," Wells said Monday. "It's not been funny. It's taken the punch out of my whole Christmas."