Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-11

ter the veins and arteries and are dis
tributed In the blood. Their preferred
homo is IN tho large muscles of the legs
and arms, and those about the eye. DR..
Bridge examined the methods of pre-
venting the disease. 1t has been found
that a heat of 100 deg. Fahrenheit kills
the animals. Hence, if the heat is
raised TO the boiling point, 2l2 deg,
there will be no danger from the dis
ease. 1t has been said that dry-salting
meats Will kill the trichine, but it is
hardly certainty. Therefore pork or
any other meat may be safely eaten
which has been thoroughly cooked, but
there is no absolutely certain method of
preventing the propagation of the
animals except through cooking.
1t is a curious fact that patients who
recover have these worms perfectly en-
cysted in bone sacks of phosphate of
lime. Is this wise provision in human
vitality to catch and entomb alive the
parasite rascals? DR.. Bridge is report
en- as saying:
"Their cells are finally coated with
phosphate of lime, probably derived
from the blood, and, in this condition
they do not irritate the muscles, nor
seriously affect the health OF the pa
tient. In cases, however, where they
are in very great numbers, the muscles
NAV be so greatly deterioatei by their
presence as to induce a general decay,
particularly late in life, and death may
result from debilitation in such cases,
or paralysis may ensua. As a rule,
however, where the number Is not very
great. the patient, after a complete re-
covely, viii maintain his usual health,
independent Of the presence of the
trichinR in his muscles"
After the worms Of our not uncom
mon seventeen-year locusts attach
themselves to the root of trees under
ground, they remain there seventeen
years before they reach full maturity,
let 90, come up to fair daylight, burst
their firm case Of shell, and are soon
able to fly for the first time in their
long existence, which terminates soon
after. Now, if these cysts kill the an
finals, what does nature send them
into the muscles of man and beast forF
Self-prescrvation Is understood to be
the first law Of nature. How can this
be when man must destroy myriads Of
worms in his living flesh or they de-
stroy him? But if parasites kill speed
lily the being on which they live, they
practically commit suicide, for neither
lice, ticks nor grubs, IN the back of a
dead COW. can subsist on her dead
carcass. Why then should bots in
horses, worms in children OF tTichina
IN men ever destroy the source
Of their indispensable food and life:
At present We do not know the why nor
wherefore. but we see as plainly as any
thing that life both IN animals and
plants, makes war on life in a savage
and deadly conflict. What study is
more attractive or useful than this vital
warfare? 1t brings our every day
cooking Of meat, bread and vegetables,
our inner civilization, forward to the
front Of advancing humanity. Two
hundred and twelve degrees Of heat,
that # boiling water, have a new mean
ing IL protecting our bodies from I'M
seen. and as little known enemies, with
out the wonderful magnifying glasses
Of a perfect microscope. We may yet
find it wise to cook all fruits as well as
all meats before eating them; and it is
not pleasant to drink the germs of
snakes in spring water and hatch them
out IN ones stomach, as has been
done. Wisdom says boil water, and
drink 1t in weak tea and coffee,
never IN strong decoction of either.
4 being that is a slave to appetite IN
any form, cries back beyond the
monkey, and should walk on four feet
instead Of two. This crying back is
the only serious drawback to human
progress and elevation, but 1t is some
thing to know that such visitatiOns as
triching and cholera, blight on grapes,
smut and rust on wheat, yellow fever,
plague and civil wars, all operate to
cxtinguish finally the brute in man
With him, in the midst Of SO many
perils and enemies, It IS advancement
or extinction, death or substantial pro-
| grcss. This is great natures present
ment Of our material and social condi
ton. Nan worshiPs traditions OF
which eating raw meat is typical, while
God and Nature punish su;h wicked
ness and folly.
CERTAIN distinguished individuals