Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-07-09

eral of this terrible scourge that it may
not be inappropriate in this connection
to give briefly its general history. 1t was
first discovered by DIR. Owen in 1885, but
was not looked upon as of much impor-
lance until 1860. A clear and weil-detined
case then appeared in Dresden, in which
a girl sixteen years of age was the victim,
and which excited general interest in
medical circles, but failed to develop any
very specific knowledge in regard TO the
disease. Next we hear of 1t IN 1868. A
company OF lO3 persons at a hotel dinner
in Heldstaedt, Prussia, partook freely OF
kind OF sausage called "R0Ste1urst,'
and nearly all of them were seized with
the new malady, large number OF the
cases resulting fatally. In 1864 the hrst
case known in the United States appeared
IN New \ ork city, and two years alter
ward family of ten persons at Marion,
Iowa, died from eating raw ham Since
that time cases have occurred with in
creaslnS frequency in all parts OF the
country.
The origin of the parasite is not
known. 1t is found in rats, mice, cats,
dogs, swine, hedgehogs and moles. In
nature 1t IS considered to be somewhat
similar TO the vinegar-worm. In appear
ance 1t resembles minute earth or angle
worm, It's average size being LIS OF an
inch IN long by 1920 in diameter. 1t is
generally taken into the stomach in the
shape OF calcarious cyst, or minute
shell, formed something like snail
she'll. Almost instantly the shell is de
destroyed by the gastric juice, when the
parasite leaps forth fully grown and
q fnr 4
dlately preying upon the mucous men,
brane of the stomach and of the alimen-
tary channel The worm in the cyst is
without sex, but in short time that dis
tinction is developed, and the female
gives birth to Young trichia9, several
hundred at time, and keeps it up so
long as she remains in the intestines. A
half a pound Of pork will contain 100000
900 of them, and it can be readily seen
what an incalculable number in a short
time are generated in the body of the
victim. When they have made their
way into the muscles they do not gener-
ate, but after life of from seven weeks
20 three months become lncased IN cal
carious substance, when they remain
dormant and harmless until again
taken into the stomach of some other
animal, and released from their prison
by the gastric juice. II the patient sur
wives until this stage of the disease, if
his vitality be not impaired to too great
an extent, he will recover Mr.. EilesS
has passed this period and will recover,
but with impaired muscular powers, and
with his body filled with myriads of en-
cysted trichin9 1t is readily seen that
if they be expelled from the intestines
before they commence to multiply, and
before they have penetrated the muscles
to any extent, the patient is moderately
certain of recovery This is the only
time when a cure is attempted, and I'M
less taken then the victim must allow
the parasites to have their day. Proven
ton is very easy, and consists simply in
seeing to it that swine do not feed on the
excretions or remains of any of those an
imals liable to the disease, and of always
heating the pork before it is eaten to at
least 1872 deg Fair. Only the voluntary
muscles are invaded by these parasites,
and they are very seldom found else
where, so that an examination Of meat
pregnated by them does not always re-
veal their presence.
In hogs the symptoms of the disease
very closely resemble hog cholera, and
frequently the one is mistaken for the
other. The presence of the trjcztn@ in
human anatomy is first indicated by ex-
cessive vomiting and purging, and severe
abdominal pains. Pains are soon felt in
all the voluntary muscles, and all the
limbs become badly swollen; the action
of the heart is very irregular, and death
frequently occurs therefrom. All these
sensations continue with varying in
tensity so long as the disease lasts, or until
the death Of the patient.
If cathartics are used as soon as the
disease appears, and before the tr5c7t5nG
leave the intestines, majority of them
may be expelled; otherwise no remedy
is of any avail, except tonics to keep the
patients system up until the disease has
run its length.-Iozedo Commercial, Ju,oe
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