The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1870-01-29

DlSEASED GORk.-1 ne GOftlanQ gre
gonian having received piece of sup
posed diseased pork" from Dayton,
handed the same to DR.. Watkins, of that
city, for his examination. Following is
the Doctors report:
ED. OREGoNIAN: Ihave examined the diseased
pork supposed to contain the "trchina spiralis,
YOU handed me, very carefully, and have found
no .ftrichina." The trichina worms lying in
and between the muscular fbres, aud in mature
condition, are about one-eighteenth of inch in
length, with round thread like body and a small
narrow head. This piece of pork is filed with
small cysts, one of which I have dissected and
send you, containing fluid and small white body,
looking, at FIRST like drop of fat, but which, on
examination, proves to be organized. having
well developed head, by which it attaches itself to
the walls of the cyst which, is the entozoon known
as the Cysticercus Cellulose, which, if not quite
dangerous the "trichina, is, as will be SEEN
not a good thing to have in the family.
The Cysticercus is simply an intermediate stage
of the s'Tenia Solium" tape worm, the history
of which is exceedingly curious and interesting
The tape worm is hermaphrodyte, all the organs
for reproduction existing in full perfection in each
segment or ring of the tenia- When these repre-
ductive organs matured, the ring thrown off,
passes from the alimentary canal. and the seq
ment, being deeomposed, sets free innumerable
ova or eggs, which are borne in every direction
by air or water. They may be eaten by some ami
NAL, was the case with unfortunate pig.
These ova, thus taken into the stomach, burst and
there proceeds forth small embryos of very minute
sire and extreme tenuity. They pass through the
tissues by kind of boring process, pass into the
blood vessels, where they borne by the blood
current to all portions of the body-to the liver
messentary, or, as in the specimen before us, to
the muscles. Here they become enclosed in little
semi-transparent oval cysts. They are then
known by scientific men strobilia, and this is
precisely what We have here, the Cysticercus Gel
luloeae.
piece of pork: Upon entering the stomach the
cyst is digested by the gastric juice the strobilia
becomes attached to the mucous membrane and
shortly from the strobilia, segments developed
which form one after another till it becomes thirty
or forty feet long being full grow "tape-worm''
and attaining this great growth in three or four
months. By and by, after throwing off many
rings and innumerable eggs, old age or accident
causes it to let 60 its hold, and its strange roman
tic life, filled with much change, comes to an
end.
Cysts every way similar are found in the brains
of cattle, giving rise to what is popularity known
a. ssbiind staggerso These cysts are known as
ssCenurus Cerebralis." eometimes they have
made their appearance in the eye of man, de-
stroying the sight.
These statements are no guess work, for the
oya of the tape worm have been given to calves
dogs, pigs, and to condemned criminals and they
invariably cause severe sickness and often death
The disease commonly known as measles in cattle
and hogs In produced in this way but always
upon examining the dead bodies of animals anG
men who have eaten these eya, these cysts art
found. But still more, these cysts have beer
given in the food to cattle, and to men condemned
10 death, and in every instance the cysts have
been found to be developed. into tape worms
Cysts taken from the brain of cattle afflicted will
staggers were given to adog, and produced in du,
time tape worms Then sections of these tape
worms, or the rings containing ora, were given te
young calves, and in fifteen days the calves were
sick with staggers and upon examining the brain.
of these calves the cysts were found. Our pie
had been feeding upon the segments of the tap.
worm thrown of by man or beast, and had eater
of them hy the thousand. Now should any per
son eat this pork, he would soon be afflicted witt
tape worm. Of course the practical application
Of these facts is plain-an animal diseased as wal
this pig, should be burned, not thrown out to hog
or dogs or even buried te rot, where it might b,
tleyoured at once. Other practical thoughts viii
occur to every one. cannot help. just here on,
word Of moralizing How stupid 1t seems t.
some practical people TO see q learned man spend
ING time, talents, education, and this for lont
wears. to learn the habits, history. etc., of thes
worms. but which when fully understood will ex
Arfain many Of the causes of disease in man an,
brute. and point out the way of safety.
regret that could mot avoid these hard lonl
words ID this note, but assure you there are
srress many with which / have not troubled you
sesders. WN. H WATKINS, M. D.