Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-02-22
The Raw Pork Dfsease.

We have on more than one occasion lately point
ed out some of the discoveries that constantly
going on in regard TO certain microscopic insects
which breed and live only within man other
animals, many of which produce the most fatal
consequences. The Importance of the practical
study of this subject may be by the fact that
III one little town village in the environs of
Magdeburg, called Edersleben, upwards of hum
dred adults have died since Christmas, and three
hundred more at the point of DEATH of q t,-i-
chOA0sis." disease SO called because produced by
trichiae. This is species Of spiral worm not the
thickness of q hair, the eggs Of which are taken
into the system in diseased pork mperfectly cooked
and multiply by millions, sometimes producing
death almost Immediately, as If by cholera and
at other times penetrating to the most remote
parts of the body, the eggs being carried round
Ill the blood, and lodging, and breeding and feed
ing on every part of the human organization, pro-
duclng agonizing pains. constitutional disturbance
and death in thousand ways
There are some kinds of the insects that seem
to seek out the muscles and develop there, bur-
rowing lnstinctivey into the flesh but others
penetrate the nervous system, and especially the
brain, entering even into the fluids of the eye
itself, and there living. In fact, mans foes be-
come those Of his own householder his own
body. At Berlin, q meeting of the town council
lors, butchers, doctors. and sprinkling of the
general public was held about Christmas and
Professor Wicklow produced piece of smoked
sausage and pork which he had examined with the
microscope and pronounced highly trichinous.
DIR. Urban, veterinary practitioner, got up
and said that the trchine were the most innocent
animals iii the world, and harmless and that it
was only doctors without practice that made fuss
about them to create occupation for themselves
The professor Of the medical school, in great ex-
element demanded apology and retraction,
and finally, that If this refused DR.. Urban
should eat some Of the diseased sausage. After
making every possible excuse, he at length seized
the sausage and bit piece off and ate it, but i'm
medlately left the room. One account says that
he instantly took strong emetic that made him
sick but another says that, five days later he was
confined to his bed, and his arms paralyzed but
whether from emetic or from the sausage there
was some dispute. The impression was that it was
the latter. The Berlin butchers now have all pork
meat examined under microscope without which
the people will not buy or eat it. Large quanti-
ties OF pork are, however, exported to England.
But there the more thorough process of cooking
seems to destroy most of the danger. Such meat,
however is not absolutely safe for food until the
whole has been subjected to Il heat of two hun
dred degrees Fahrenheit.
1t is said that case has recently been distinct
~ traced IN Indiana, where young lady died in
great agony from this disease There is no doubt
but that the Mosaic and Mohamedan prohibition
OF pork founded its great likelihood of pro-
er where food is scarce and often on the excre-
ments of other animals Now, tie h1eo of existence
for these entozoa seems to be that they can only
to life in the intestines of one animal where
they deposit their eyes, which never come to any
thing until vitalized in some way by the gastric
juice of the stomach Hence this tendency of the
hog make it the most dangerous of all animals for
producing this disease. Led9eY