The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1866-03-07

ence Of the parasite in great numbers. The
| specimens Of muscle taken from the bodies
OF the dead, together with remnant Of the
sausages Of which they had partaken, were
subsequently examined by Dr. j. Lathrop
and Prof. George Hadley under the micro
scope. and trichina found in both. In the
human muscle they were free; in the
sausage, encysted. Other members Of the
family were effected, but probably did not
eat enough to prove fatal.
All the evidence thus far adduced goes to
show that the more the cooking the milder
the disease. Those cases in which the pork
was eaten raw were of the most violent
character, and invariably proved fatal.
When 1t is remembered that this parasite in
its capsule has been subjected to degree
Ct heat little below the boiling point, without
destroying its vitality, the Importance Of
thorough cooking becomes apparent to the
lover of swine flesh
In examining pork for trich;na, the cap
sules may sometimes be seen by the naked
eye under the tongue; but by far the safer
plan is to have magnifying glass of mode
rate power-say from 10 to Is diameters-
which reveal the animal, whether it be free
or encysted.
1t is we'll known that the common red
"earthworm" or "angle worm " is infested
with trichina, and in this way fowls and
swine may become the subjects Of the
disease, as they devour the worm greedily
An opinion obtains with many persons that
what is known as "measly pork" is more
liable to be infected with trichina than any
other. What facts there are to sustain this
belief we are not acquainted with, but the
"measles in the hog is genuine scrofula,
and 1t is significant fact that the disease
just mentioned should have derived its name
from scrcfa, sow. The ancients, however
wild or erroneous may have been their
theories, were nevertheless close and accu-
rate observers of facts. In this way the
name of the disease is made to indicate its
origin. 1t is safe to conclude that more dis
ease and deaths are caused by eating pork
without trichina than nth them. To those
who are determined to eat swine flesh in
spite of the trichina and the law of Moses,
we would give some advice in regard to the
manner of rearing them. "As filthy as
hog" is common comparison; yet the pig
is sometimes libeled. He has his likes and
dislike and though he seeks his food among
verdurc or in the filthy gutter, yet he will
not eat unsound or unhealthy food. If he
is shut up in close pen, and made to swim
In his own excrements, he certainly is not
responsible for his dirty plight. The fact
is now pretty well understood in Germany
that the pigs which have been infested with
trichina were brought up in this manner,
and gave evidence of bad health before they
were slaughtered.
While engaged in penning this article re-
ports are coming to us daily from different
parts Of the country Of the discovery Of
trichinous pork, and at Detroit the death Of
German lady is reported in whose body
this parasite was found. Thorough sramina-
ton and thorough cooking have been insisted
upon in this article as preventives Of trichina
disease; but the only infallible one is to
obey the Jewish law. and eat no pork.