The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1868-02-08
[From the Missouri Republican, Nov. IT.
1'richima I'm -. Louis.


1 On Saturday evening meeting Of the
Medical Society was held in an apartment
10 the Merchantile Library building
After some routine business had been
Transacted, very interesting and some.
what startling subject was introduced. II
appears during the past week two deaths
occurred at the City Hospital, which have
now been disc vercd 10 have resulted from
the horrible disease produced by the tri.
china spiralis, which created 80 much ex-
citement in Germany some time ago, and
subsequently in Iowa and other sections
of this country. The trichine, az IL we'll
known, are taken into the system by eat
ing raw or half cooked pork. The fol-
lowing Is the substance Of the statement
made by DIR. Dean, a member Of the
Medical Society: While present few
minutes before rhc close of post norton
examination aud demonstration made by
DR.. Leffiugwell on a subject of the City
Hospital, though not for the purpose Of
discovering the caGse Of death, DIR. L..
remarked that the muscles were speckled.
This drew DIR. DIS attention TO the sub
ject, when he saw the muscles completely
studded with tnreal trichiao spiraLa. lie
at once endeavored to get history of the
case, and found the patient was one Of
two friends who had come to the Hospital
together, both suffering from general de.
bllity. and who were 10 registered. The
one whose body he saw had suffered from
diarrhea, abdominal pain, prccordial pain.
&c, had been treated at last for typhoid
fever. which he appeared TO have and
from which he was supposed to die. So
near are some of the symptoms of trichin.
asis 10 those Of this disease. As the dis
case and the cntozoa are we'll known he
would have said nothing of this case, ex-
cept to state il and give its bearing. name
". that the disease (trichinasis) is proba
bly, much more common than Is generally
supposed. III. on examining the other
body, il should be shown that his mus
clcs were also inhabited By trichin@ it
would, by mere accident, be shown that
two cases excusably supposed to have died
of typhoid (in the internal subjects there
were lung eomplications) which in reali.
" had died of this disease. Dr. d. said
Dr. Steele had also had his attention
drawn TO the dotted appearance of the
muscles, and had, as he learned this even
ing, made out under the microscope the
presence Of the trichinm.. Partly by the
request II others versed in the history Of
the disease, but who thought some Of the
faculty were not, and partly because Of
the slight importance attached to the sub
jcct by some practitioners, he would give
brief account Of the entozoa and of the dis
ease.
The larval trichina, a. found 10 the
specimen, were free, surrounded by gran
ular matter, or by calcarcnus matter.
which latter forms the spindle or shuttle
shaped cyst. This lies imbcdded between
the fbres of the voluntary muscles. 1t
docs not develope further in the muscles.
Il is found in the same way in the mus
Gle Of the swine. If this flesh be injected
uncookcd the calcarous cysts are dissolv-
cd by the stomach juices aud the free
Larvae become sexually developed and
aud produced young; one producing one
hundred OF more; half pound of meat
might contain enough to produce 80, ,000,.
900. These commence emigrating to the
voluntary muscles (so.called) all over the
body. As they penetrate the intestines
there is copious diarrhea, which carries
off many of them in the deiections. but
enough remain. As the remaining ones
cmigrate into the muscles, pain in, aud
inability to use the muscles, were charac-
teristic symptoms. Gdema of limbs aud
face, a typhoid condition of the system,
hiccough. if the diaphragm be invaded,
hoarseness and las of voice, If the laryn-
geal muscles be affected. This statement
excited considerable attention. and brief
suspension of business took place, while
many of the medical gentlemen present
examined the specimens of the muscles
of the deceased, produced by Dr. Dean,
through glasses. BY holding up piece
of the muscular tissue before light. the
little specks were plainly visible, aud
some of the more youthful practitioners
present, who had discussed pork steak
and ham for supper, grew serious and
felt considerable inward disturbance.
The statement is really ono of importance,
and we have no doubt will excite general
attention. 1t is unfortunate that nothing
definite is known as to the history of the
cases mentioned, but we understand some
further examination will be made into the
matter which will probably result in some
additional information,