Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-03-10
GENERAL IxTELLTGENCE,
The HerOdian Horror.
From the Cincinnati Commercial. ]


Herod the Great may not have died
from partaking too freely of h'ichino
spiralis with his roast pig, but the pre-
sumption that he did, is supported by
| the historic assertion that he was eater
| by worms before the breath was fairly
out of his body. 1t is apparent that he
died of no ordinary disease, Other and
greater men died before Herod. and the
histographers were at no pains to mer
ton the particular disease that took
them out of the world.
1t was reserved for the age of micro
scopes to discover that the Herodian
| horror was only an aggravated case OF
hickinoe in the stomach and viscera. We
are indebted TO the German physicians
for this important addition to the list oil
ills which flesh is heir to-swine flesh in
particular. 1t is not pleasant reflection
that single ounce of this flesh may con-
tain a hundred thousand dniandiculP,
and that while they show the same pref.
erence for swine that the devil did, they
readily colonize in the human stomach,
and are indefatigable pathfinders through
the human system. Microscopic as they
are, they endure extremes of tempera-
ture with tenacity of life that is won
derful. They boil, fry, and stew with
composure. Indeed any degree of heat
under 212 quickens rather than retards
| their vitality. They become torpid, like
| frogs and lizards in winter, but at the
first sensation of heat awaken to an
alarming activity.
Good people, who dearly love aroast OF
pork, slice of ham, or savory sausage,
a. haf fo.ir m
were indigenous to Germany and would
confne their labors to the domesticated
and demoralized offspring of the wild
boar of the Thuringian forests. Not a
bit of it. Since the German physicians
made such valuable use of their micro
scopes, others have been engaged in in
spections of pork, and the result is the
announcement that trichinoe have devel-
oped themselves in the swine of America.
The Chicago papers inform us that a
load of pork put on sale at Peoria, Hi
nois, last week, was examined microscop-
ically, and two of the hogs were alive
with trichino. Dressed hogs examined
at Dixon, were also discovered to be in
habited by these infinitessimal creatures.
The ST. Louis papers of Saturday an
nounce the poisoning of two families in
that city from eating diseased pork, y
though no attempt appears to have been
made to discover the character of the
disease. Doubtless it was the Herodian
horror. ial
There are two ways of keeping trichi-
nae out of the stomach. Buy a micro
scope, or leave off eating pork. If you
are as fond of roast-pig as Charles Lamb
was, and will have it, keep a microscope
in your kitchen. 1t will have to play an
important part in domestic economy.
Engage no cook who is not as familiar
with the microscope as with waffle ring.
Avoid sausage-German sausage Jim
ported particularly. Yield not to the
temptation of bologna, and eschew
Westphalia ham. Eat sparingly of pork,
though you know who raised it and are
positive that it was corn-fed. A micro
scope would not be Objectionable by the
side of your plate, to inspect the morsel
that tantalizes you on the forks end
1t will be slow process, this inspecting
by mouthful, but Ii will be safe.