The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-11-25
Diseased Fork.
From the Westminster Review.

Diseased Fork. Tuoli
From thS Westminster Review. 49, .,' ,'cr.ra ~
In the year 1885 Professor Owen de-
scribed, under the naine of Trachina spi-
rails, minute parasitic worm which had
been discovered a short time previously.
inhabiting in great abundance the mus
cles Of the human subject. These little
worms, measuring about one-fiftieth of an
inch in length, were coiled up in q spiral
form in minute cysts among the fibres of
the muscles, and as there was no trace of
the course of migration of the parasites to
the place where they were found, and all
these specimens were quite destitute of
generative organs, tEeir production ap-
peared SO mysterious, that some good OBJ
servers were led to revive the exploded
doctrine Of spontaneous generation in their
favor, asserting that the Trichin@ were
"generated from fat formed between the
muscular fibres." From the experiments
of Vinchow, Leukhart, and others, it ap-
pears, however, that no such extraordi
nary process is necessary to account for
the phenomena. Trachina, like many
other parasites, requires only to pass from
its encysted condition in the body of one
| animal into the intestine of another in
order to attain its full development. Soon
after its indus has been removed by the
digestive process, the sexual organs make
their appearance distinctly, young animals
are then speedily produced, and these
passing through the coats of the in
restines and the tissues of the body,
make their way to the muscles, which
constitute their natural home in the
encysted state. In the latter con.
dition, they retain their vitality and capa-
blity of further development for very
considerable time: they are found in this
state in the muscles Of several species of
animals, but the only one of these which
forms a regular article of human food is
the pig, and it is therefore chiefly by the
consumption of imperfectly cooked pork,
that the parasite must gain its entrance to
the human body. Here, when present in
great abundance, it has been found to pro-
dace peculiar and often fatal disease, to
which, under the name of "Trichinosis, or
Flesh-worm disease" Dr.. Althaus calls
the attention of the profession in small
pamphlet now before us. This disease,
which is accompanied by febrile symptoms
OF typhoid type, and by acute pains and
muscular swellings, analogous to some of
those occurring in rheumatic affections,
has doubtless often been c0nfounded
with other disorders, and the diagnosis,
except by the actual excision and micro
scopic examination of portion of the sus-
nected muscle, Can operation, as our author
admits, "not very pleasant to the pa.
| tient, y appears to be rather dificult,-
nevertheless, of the existence of disease,
caused by this parasite, there seems to be
no doubt, and the epidemic visitations of
it which have occurred in Germany, at
| Plauen, and Hettst@dt, show plainly
enough how dangerous and fatal it may be.
The cause of the disease in all cases ap-
pears to be the consumption of raw OF un-
derdone pork, ham and sausages and DR..
Althaus believes that the Mosaic prohibi-
ton of pork to the chosen nation was
prophylactis measure against Trichinosis,
rather than Tapeworm. Such measures
are strongly recommended by the author,
who advocated the appointment of compe-
tent persons to examine all pork for Tri-
chime previous to it's being offered for sale,
and informs Us " that the Medical Depart
ment of the Privy Council are folly alive
to the importance of the subject, and are
taking it into their serious consideration. 4"
Sleeping Out of Doors.
A sensible writer to Haper,s Maga-
zine for September, concerning this mat
ter says:
thought should never get to sleep. I
had bed of cornstalks, but believed I
was rOughing it. 1t was the dreadful ex-
posure OF the night air which worried me,
and not the proximity of hostile balls and
bayonets. And when / was. aroused at
five in the moraing, to continue the march,
l actually felt more fearful of being brok-
en- down by want of proper rest than of
being shot in the coming engagement.
How mistaken our mothers were when
they warned US against exposure to the
| night air, and sleeping in damp clothing.
and going with wet feet Judging from
two years experience almost constant field
service, aver that these things are whole
some and restorative. 1t does not REQUIRE
strong constitution to stand them =; It is
sleeping inside of walls which ought pro-
perly to be called exposure and which de-
mands vigorous vitality; and it is the
crowning triumph of civilization that it
enables humanity to do this without exter-
minatiOn. have screed to deliver some
day on this subject to misguided and
house-poisoned public
| Murder Will Out.-.The Case Of an
Albany Cattle Dealer.
| From the New York World.
The way in which secret crime reveals
itself is wonderful. The stain of blood
will cut The very means taken to
conceal it exposes it and fixes it upon the
uilty.
Such is the conscious restlessness OF guilt,
1t spills it itself in fearing to be split.