New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-04-20
VOLUME XIV.
TRICHINIASIS.

1t is very probable that, in all ages, men have
been afflicted with what is now known as I" trichi
nasis." Cases of mysterious death, not referrible
to the known forms of disease, have very
often happened and without exciting the alarm
which the assaults of the little animal called
trichina spiralis," are now exciting throughout
the civilized world. And yet it is by no means
improbable that men, at least men who eat pork,
have always been liable to the attacks of this
diminutive creature. A man might have died
of some recondite affection, which the dag
nosis of the physician failed to reveal, and have
been quietly laid in his grave without causing any
great terror to his luckier neighbors; but the mo-
ment they know that he has fallen victim to a
microscopical little beast, with so formidable
name as % trchina spiralis,' they Immediately be-
gin to imagine that the enemy is busily at work
upon their own bodies.
Now it is not very pleasant thing to have one's
intestnes narrowed, and one's muscular fibre de-
voured by "trichinae sprales'' or any other kind
of parasites The thought is certainly disagreeabe
enough, and is calculated to make US look with
suspicion on the finest Westphalia, or the most de-
| licious spare-ribs. There are many ways of max
ing exit from this world far more pleasant than
being devoured alive. And yet, men must eat.
Science has not yet discovered any method by
which the ordinary supply of nutriment can be
dispensed with We sometimes hear, it is true, of
ahSehc creatures WHO seem 10 so0sist on ali out
there is shrewd suspicion that even these ethereal
beings relish beef-steak in private, or sandwich
behind the pantry-door. We grieye to say it; but
cahuor cohpeis us 10 assert tuat inaJoilty' even
OF Inc women OF America, are more or less aa-
dicted to pork.
Inc question thehce arises, Is 1t really danger
Gus 10 eat pork Are we to ABANDON our spare
rips' repudiate our oeiectaole hams, renounce our
saVory sausages and surrender our brohed bacon,
all 1of lear OF tRe dlmhulVe oht redoahsaoie
lFlchlha SplFailS = many people, without a SUI
hclch1 examination OF the SUBJECT, haVe concluded
10 answer ths question III the afllrtnaltVe; ana
nave resolved to make assurance doubiy sure by
refusing any furlher ASSOCIATION win pork But
the mass OF the people cannot follow this example
even Ii 1t were desirable Tor them to DO SO. Pork
Is not only an estaolshed article OF diet, but, es
pecial1y IN the country 1t constitutes large pro-
portion OF the only accessible food OF the popuia-
ton II people are to go without pork IN conse-
quence OF the clamor about trlchinasls, they Will
very likely have to go without eating at all.
But there is no reason to believe that any such
alternative Is presented. Tnehiniasis is certainly
terrible and very fatal disease; but there is
really no necessity Tor anybody to get 1t Ii only
proper precautions be taken. very interesting
report mas recently oeen pubAshed by committee
OF CAicaao Physicians, VINO were charged some
uhe ago WIN the duty OF investigating the SUBJECT
OF Tlchlhiasis anu lis attendant Phenomena
lhese gentlemen present some facts, winch un-
ATTENDED with proper explanations, are suflclenty
startling Ihelf hratd duty was to ascertain whether
trchina actually exist IN the hogs OF this country
anG IN those OF the Northwest IN particular. 10
accomplish this object, they examined 1894 hogs
In the different packing houses and butcher stalls
| OF Chicago. Among these, 2S were found to have
trichina in the muscles, giving about one in fifty
or two per cent, OF trichinous animals. This result
indicates that trichiniasis in pork is even more
common in this country than in Germany The
worst case in tho % sbowed dan.i+r ~ ,eooo
trlchna to the cubic inch. The remaining rs were
infested in a comparatively slight degree-from As
to 5000 tn the cubic inch. The renort savs that a
,,ou,o, .o.in, -, ,usino,, o,1 IS H. ., .h;o,,,,
person eaths ah ordinary meal Oh 'he most th'ckiy
infested specimen, in a raw state, would speedily
fall victim to the ravages of not less than ,OOO,-
0OO vounp trichina In certain cases of death from
~ '0Ne - 49, ooo N " ~ y. 0A "
tli's cause zooo'ooo trichlha nave oeeh 1ouna III
the muscles OF a man.
This statement is not very comforting 1t shows
hayord q aonh+ +bot +ha ho,s ri +bo Nortbwos+
- -, ~
are uicilihous Ill al ieas' DIS great uesfee as
those of Germany. But there is consolation to be
derived from the additional facts that careful exam
inaton will a,,,os+ o,uans rovoo, tho ,rasonoa af
w.. u'ss a'"ays io'e". VI. p.esouoo VI
'ilese paiasl'es' ana that any h'hd OF thorough
cooking, at temperature above one hundred and
| fifty degrees Fahrenheit will destroy them. The
oreotar nravalenoo of tho a;,,o,o :, roun, +ho,,
| . ~. " ~ "'So"so ''a 'e',."'5 'H"''
Ill 'lis country' arises from the 1act tnat there
pork is very often eaten raw. The conclusion of
| the committee ia that few sensihla nann1a will
refuse pork as food if it suits their convenience ia
use it. As our readers may like to see the very
words of these scientific gentlemen, we quote the
closing lines of the report
The excitement has, with little doubt, been
| fostered by interested persons for speculative
a dn"l pe;Hpia ave ooie 70 ,naeie .hat
danger all the more terrible because hidden little
means. All this excitement has occurred before
single instance OF tne occurrence OF tfichlna in
anthantcaiIv r. ~ haa M thsrsfors ~'
nece ssary that the subject should he thoronehlv
investigated in order that the people, by familiar
ity with the danger and confidence in their under
standing OF us charaCter, may not pc prey OF
IN sanseIssS nd 'm
iniurious. We do not allude to the commercial
aspects OF the question matter of small moment
cOmOared with the great inheritance of DOrk as the