Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-12-21
Interesting - Eaters Of POrk.
In ancient times the Scottish poet sung

Interesting - Eaters Of POrk.
In ancient times the Scottish poet sung:
Moses and Aaron the ouId priests
| Forbid the folk I'LL eat the beasts
| And thocht nae evil ..Hr7 rH.
But gin get my CUTS well creased.
| 30. I'd eat the devil"
But we reckon if that bonny Scot had
ever read such story as the following, he,
would have come to the conclusion that
the "ould priests" heads were about
level: ... .r a. n ..''.
| UnderdOne Pork. ......
To the Editor of the Examiner and Times:
SIR R:-Eaving seen in this district fatal case
Of what believe was fesh-worm disease,
have been much interested and struck BY
very able article on the subject, cornmunica-
ted, without the authors name, to the British
Medical Journal for January 18th, from which
l extract the following particulars for the
benefit and warning Of the inhabitants Of this
neighborhood: ...... ~. =
"A few months ago there was festive cele-
bration at Hettstadt, small country town
near the Hartz Mountains, in Germany. Up
ward of one hundred persons sat down 70 an
excellent dinner; and, having enjoyed them
selves more ntdjor1in, separated and went TO
their homes.-0f these l03 persons, most OF
them in the prime of life, SO are now in their
graves; and the majority Of the twenty sur
vivors linger with fatal malndy; and few
only walk apparently unscathed among. the
living, but in hourly fear Of an outbreak Of
the disease which has carried away such num-
bers of their fellow-diners. . .n
"They had all eaten Of poison 1t that fes-
tive board, the yirulence OF which far sur
| - Sad aHa nfa foEbnnM
or of the more tangible agents described in
genealogical textbooks. Il was not poison
dug out Of the earth, extracted from plants,
or prepared in the laboratory Of the chemist.
It was not poison administered by design
or negligence; but IL was poison unknown
| to all co1cerned, and was eaten with the meat
in which it was contained, and Of which 1t
| formed a living constituent. The remnants
Of sausage and OF pork employed in the manu-
| facture Of the rostewurst (the dish which
| formed the third course of the dinner) were
| examined with the microscope, and found TO
ibe literally swarming with encapsuled
richinR, or hesh-worms. From the suffer.
| M muscles Of several of the victims small
pieces were excised, and under the micro
scope found charged with embryonic triehine
in all stages Of development. 1t could not be
doubted any longer that as many Of the lU3
as had partaken OF the rostewurst had been
infested with trichinous diseases BY eating Of
trichinous pork, the parasites Of which had,
at least, in part, escaped the effects Of smok-
ing and frying. This awful catastrophe
awaked sympathy and fear throughout the
whole Of Germany. Most OF the leading ply
sieians were consulted in the interest Of the
sufferers, and some visited the neighborhood
where most Of the flicted patients remained;
k,,t mana nonld hrinn roliof or cnre With
an obstinacy unsurpassed by any other in
fectious DR. parasitic disease, trichiniasis
carried its victims to the grave. II It be re-:
membered that one ounce OF meat, filled
with trichine, may form the stock from
which, in few days, three millions Of worms
may be bred and three worms will destroy,
In the course Of few weeks, not less than
two millions of striated muscular fbres, an
idea OF the extent of the destruction produced
by these parasites can be formed. Most
educated people in Germany have in conse-
quence of the Hettstadt tragedy adopted the
law Of Moses, and avoided pork In any
FORM" lH.. .. fHr -H.r...-. 81.
The writer Of the valuable article from
which the above are merely extracts, con-
cludes this important communication in the
following words - .. L.g.I. r.-...
"As It would be useful il the medical pro.
fession, as the natural guardian Of the pub
| lie health, were to put people on their guard
against eating pork in an underdone condi-
ton, and otherwise than in the form OF tho
roughly boiled or roasted meat, we propose
to use the word flesh worm,' for popularity
designating trichinp. The word seems to
express, to some extent, the horrors Of the
disease" s. a....r.- ...-.. .rr -...
There are accounts Of the outbreak Of the
same disease in other parts Of Germany.
The fesh-worIns are not killed BY sailing,
smoking, or freezinR the meat in which they
exist-therefore these processes must not be
trusted 10 as protection froI!i possible pol
Ioning by eating OF such meat. Indeed, 20
far as our present knowledge goes, the only
manner Of preparing pork so that it may be
eaten with moderate safety is to boil or ruGst
thoroughly every atom Of it. II is believed
that either Of these processes, II perfectly
done, will kill the hesh-wormS, should they
already exist in the pork. Nc - ''i-
Flesh.worms undoubtedly exist in lnrgs
number Of Irish and other pigs, and they are
believed to be due in great part 70 the hlthy
way in which these animals are kept.
These fesh-Worms have been found 90
some few occasions, beliye, in other meats;
and their possible existence in all meIo
should lead to the careful observance OF the
only safe protection Of thoroughly boiling or
roasting every particle Of meat eaten.
The eating OF under.cooked or raw pork,
in auy form. is undoubtedly the cause, in
almost all cases, Of the development OF an
| other loathsome disease, viz, tape worm
for this reason also such food should never
be taken. '.- .' ''st.!
The importance of this subject to the ne.
| neral public must be my excuse for occnpy-
| ing 90 much Of your valuable space. '34ilf2