The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-01-22
MisteltamknMs.
From albany Argus, January II.
TY.iChSnG.

TWO CASES IN ALBANY - INTERESTING,
PARTICULARS.
The following is an abstract from the pa
per read before the Albany Institute, N. Y,
recently, by DR.. e. r. Hun
In 1888, Mr.. Hilton, of England, discoy-
cred in the muscles ola human body, which
he was examining, number of minute
white specks, which, upon microscopic ex-
animation, proved to be oval cysts, COM
posed of calcareous matter, and containing
in their centre small worm. Two years
later, Professor Owen investigated the
subject, and gave to the worm the name of
Trichina Spiralis, from its slender form and
spiral shape. After this it was frequently
met with in the muscles of subjects in the
dissecting room, but nothing was know
how it got into the muscles, or what symp-
toms it produced in the patient it infested.
In 1850. Zenker, of Dresden, called public
attention to the fact that this little parasite,
hitherto consider harmless, was the cause of
one of the most frightful and fatal diseases
to which the human race is subject. A
family near Dresden was poisoned by eating
the flesh ola pig raised and slaughtered on
their farm. One of them died and all the
muscles of her body were found to be stud
ded with Trichine, and the worm was also
found in the sausages, ham and head-cheese,
made from the flesh ofthe pig. Some of the
infected meat was sent to Virchow of Berlin,
who, by a series of experiments, developed
the following interesting facts IF meat
containing Trichin@ be intoduced into the
stomach of certain animals and these an
imals be killed and carefully examined at
different intryals, it is found that the Trich-
ine pass through several phases of develop
ment. Soon after being swallowed the
gastric juices dissolve the cyst in which
this stage about 1-25 of an inch in length,
is set free in the stomach. 1t rapidly in
creases in size during the next three days,
until it is about rs of an inch long, and
at the same time distinction between the
sexes makes itself apparent. The females
outnumber the males by about forty to one.
By about the twelfth day, each female
gives birth to living young, whose number
has been yariouly computed at from 200 to
1000 for each parent. These little trich-
ine, which measure from 1-100 to 1-120 OF
an inch in length, Immediately commence
! to bore through the walls of the stomach
, and intestines, and find their way into
I all the muscles, which are under the con-
troll of the Wilt being curious fact
that they are never found in the heart, or
muscles of organic life. During the next
four weeks or more they move about in the
muscular fbres and increase gradually in
size until they attain the 1-25 of an inch in
length, when they coil up in spiral form
and become enclosed in a cyst, when they
remain quiescent for an indefinite period Of
time, waiting until some animal shall
swallow the meat containing them, when
they pass through the above described cycle
of existence.
! During the time that the trichine pass
through their various stages of develop
ment, the animal infe ct ed by them
presents certain symptoms which, o.
course, differ according to the number o.
Ltrichine swallowed and theirposition in the
body; and these symptoms constitute the
disease called trichinosis, which may be
divided into three stages. During the first
stage, while the worms are inAthe stomach
and intestines, the principal symptoms are
vomiting, diarrh9a and general disturbance
of the functions of the digestive organs
: During the second stage, while the Trich
mae are migrating about in the muscles, WI
find dropsical swelling of the face and limbs
especially ofthe lower eyelids; the diarrhGi
may or may not continue, and the most in
tense pain and tenderness affect the Who'll,
body and limbs. The patient, if able Il
walk at all, does so upon histoes, as ifunabl'
to rest tho. heel. upon the ground and il
some casesis obliged to lie extended upor
his back, the slightest attempt to NOV
even finger being attended by paroxysn
of AGONY At the same time n troullesom
cough supervcnes which ofcoursc, increase