The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-08
IMPORTANT MEDICAL DISCOVERY.


The city OF Elgin, some forty miles west Of Chi
cage. Is greatly excited by the appearance OF a
terminated fatally on Friday last. The facts are as
ioliows:--On Friday week Mrs. .. W. Daniels, q
lady twenty-five years Of age who was married Two
Since, was Frustrated BY what seemed at first TO be
premonitory symptoms OF typhoid fever. she had
been very well Tor some time previous, but nothing
serious was anticipated until Sunday when she was
compelled to take to her bed place herself
ner bones ana soreness in her nesh. No hing very
unusual, however, was observed until sun lay MORN
ing when The milk from ner breast attracted atten-
ton by its dark color-it looking ike the wastngs Of
an lnk-bottle Submitting the milk to microscopic
examination. 1t was found to contain Immense num-
bers OF animalcul9. dinerlng IN size and shape from
any human parasite OF which the attending physi
clan had ever seen or heard. They seemed 10 be
somewhat hcxag0nal In form-longer one way than
the otner They did not seem to have any head, out
were evidently alive Judging from the way IN which
they moved about. Their size was estimated by the
doctor at varying from one hundred thousandth to
the five hundred thousandth part OF an inch
IN diameter. the power Of the microscope
former power being required TO make the insect
visible. They were not trichnn. as the doctor was
new kind was much smaller and OF an entirely differ
ent shape. The authorities were searched; but none
Of them gave any clue BY which they could be iden-
suited were compelled to believe that they had dis
covered q new species OF human parasite. In the
meantime the patent grew worse she suffered ter
rby, and complained or soreness all over her nOdy.
Nothing could be done to relieve her. She could not
Dear u DdJn anu COulu Dear 10 De tOuCueu.
She fingered in agony until afternoon at one O'clock
when she died.
There was some reason at first to believe that the
parasites were the product OF some disease OF the
breast, and were cOafned to that Locality. The
dOclOr determined to test the matter. Anticipating
her death, he was prepared TO do 80 five minutes
after lie was extinct, and while the body was still
warm he made ncision IN the calf of the leg and
drawing the lancet examined the moisture which
covered II. He found three OF the parasites, only
| one OF which was alive. They were similar in all
respects To those found in the uid taken from tue
breast. lie tnen dissected the tbdtis arteries and
muscle Of the leg, including small portion OF the
| surrounding flesh The muscle presented a
| granular appearance, as II covered with grains
OF sand. These grains. the doctor presumes,
were parasites. The investigations were con-
Quoted by DR. Clark assisted by Dr. Tyrell,
and neither OF them, nor any Of the faculty who
have been asked their opinion are able 10 explain
the presence VI Nilat they regard Us parasrical
phenomena. further examination OF muscle will
be made and 1t is expected that some light will be
shed upon what Is now mystery. The physicians
think that the parasites fastened DEATH il they were
not the immediate cause. While some OF the symp-
toms Of typhoid remained TO the end they were not
aggravated-the pans of soreness and throbbing
denly than IN cases Of unmistakabie typhoid. The
baby had been pining for some time before his
mother took sick, but as soon as he was weancd he
recovered his health, and Is now more robust than
ever He was not weaned until the mo her was
confined to bed. The doctor reports that he exam.
ined the child blood, which was perfectly healthy.