The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-10-05
The Yenosha Telegraph,
THE TERRIBLE TBICHINOSIS.

John G. Dawson, M. d., Professor Of
Physiology and Microscopic Anatomy,
publishes a long, exceedingly interesting
paper on this subject, from which we
make the following extract:
t"The pig seems TO be the animal natu
rallv the most liable to the trichinosis
He is certainly more liable to this disease
than any other animal used for food
neither sheep nor the OK being subject TO
it. 1t has been found in this country, by
Investigations in Oh tcago in 1885, that of
all the pigs brought to market in that
city, one in fifty is infected with trichina
This shows that we are all in danger of
being infected by the use of pork, unless
measures be taken in preparing meat to
DESTROY the vitality of the worms. SmO.
king and sailing will do this efeCtualy.
Only thorough cooking is to be relied on
as a safe guard. 1t is remarkable that
most, if not all, of the cases of trichinosis
in this country, thus far, have occurred
amorg the Germans. This is because
thew have the habit-nOt otherwise com
mon hereof eating ham, sausages, and
even sometimes fresh pork, nearly or
quite in an uncOoked state.
"To kill the worms, the ham must not
only be salted apd smoked, but it must
be cooked, and cooked thoroughly. Now,
if Won bear in mind that one pig in fifty
is infected with trichina, you Will, per
haps, think many times before putting
between your lips piece otpork, or nam
or sausage, in the raw state. You Will be
certain that it is cooked. One Of the
worst cases of trichinosis that has come
under my observation was caused by eat
ing pork chops which were rare or slight
" underdone Now, these chops were
we'll enough cooked on the outside, bul
on the inside they were red and juicy,and
the danger was precisely the same as if
the patient had taken the meat entirely
raw. In order t" destroy the Vitality of
trichina, tie meat should be suffered to
a temperature of 212o F. Now, if you
boil ham an hour, you do not necessari
" subject some parts of it to that temper
ature. In The central parts Of the ham
the temperature will not rise to that
point unless the boiling has been long
continued. speak of this particularly,
as it is very important matter. A tenn
perature OF less than 1909 F., does not
destroy the trichina. AS shown by direct
experiment, therefore, q piece OF trichi
nous meat, any part of which has not been
raised to or above this point, Is just as
dangerous as if it were taken in the raw
state.
"These are the chief points of impor
9ance in regard to the triohina and trich.
inosis. The disease is fatal enough, fire.
quent enough, and revolving enough to
induce us to take all possible measures to
prevent it. And do not think that any
thing is sufficient for this but pers nal
examination of every piece of pork, ham.
bacon or sausage used as food, to see that
every part of it has been subjected to a
thorough cooking process.
"TheIe are other hints Of considerable
interest with regard to the rapiulty with
which the human subject may be infect,
ed, the great number of persons who may
become infected by eating the product OF
single slaughtered animal, and the de-
gree of fatality attending the disease.
Enough, however, is known to convince
rs that the affection is very frequent
one, and liable to be exceedingly fatal ;
or, if not fatal, to produce prolonged and
exhaustive disease"
TRICHINA.