New-York tribune., 1881-03-28
THE TRICHINE AND TRICHIN0SIS

GOVERNMENT INQUIRY INTO THE history OF
THE PARAsTE-THE ErIoLoGY or THE ptSEAsE
MAGNITUDE or THE INTERESTS ENDANGERED
BY IT.
WAsHINGTON March 27-The report on trichDW,
compiled by the late Passed Assistant Surgeon
Gazier Of the Marine Hospital Service. and for
warded TO tho Senate by Secretary Sherman. In
answer to q Senate resolution Of December 13. 1880,
is now passing tbrOugh the press at the Government
Printing Office. and will he ready for disiDu-
ton. The work was begun in July. 1879. and nearly
year was consumed in the collection OF materials.
The report contains history Of the discovery OF the
trichinR their natural history. theories OF their
source the history of the disease trichnoss, stats-
ties of epidomIcs, etiolOgy pathological anatomy
symptoms and treatment, symptoms OF trlchinosls
in animals discussion Of the means for the proven
ton Of the disease synopsis Of the regulations gov
erning the pork trade IN Europe, results of tho OK
aminations OF European and American pork, dis
cus-lon of some mistakes occasionally made in rni-
croscopical examinations statement of the disease
as IL has occasionally appeared in the Unied States
and Teprint Of the letters transmitted 10 the Treas
ury by the State Department from United States
Consuls abroad upon tho subject. Tho importance
70 the United States of having the matter thoroughly
understood is shown by the letter OF tho Secretary
of the Treasury wherein it IS stated that the value
Of bacon aud hams exported from tho United States
Cdnrinr the fiscal year ended June 30 1SS0l was
$50 0S7 603 and Of pork $5.9305 532. and of lard
$27, ,D2O. .367-in ALL $84.S3S502."
The sections of tho report relating to the history
of the discovery OF the parasite its natural history
and the theories of origin are largely compiled
from German authorities. original TRANSACTIONS Of
the princip1l German tex books having been made
by DR. Glazier as the the American literature on
this part OF the subject not extensive. the Ger
mans having had more experience with trichne-
and with the disease trIchinosls-than any other
nation 1t is shown in the report that nearly all
animals may be infected with trichiu@ but the
heretofore commonly received opinion that these
parasites were originally found IN rats Is shown TO
be untenable although they may be reproduced in
any animal feeding upon the flesh OF other tri-
cbnoscd animals Of whatever species and the circle
Of infection is thus believed TO be kept up. The
practical "anestIon of richDozatiOn has relation to
the Infection of man through the hog, and there Is
not much ground for the suppostion that hogs arc
infected from kitchen sIops as there is nothing es-
,entlally different in them from the food eaten by
the family" IL Ia further shown that hogs kept in
s,aIs in which tnchinosDd hogs have been
Kant will become infected and that tho only means
of prevention of this disease among swine is, first
that the stalls pens IN which the animals are
kept should be kept scrupuously clean seo0hd the
sgine must have good clean food, and not be al
lowed access TO diseased meat of any kind the not
uncommon practice of throwing dead poultry rats or
cats 10 swno is shown to be source OF danger. ana
should be prohibited by statute; and thrd, rs soon
as any animal u suspected OF disease 1t should DO
separated from the herd. ,.
Mnch space II devoted in the report to the history
of epldemics Of trchinosis. ana 1t is shown that
trichlne have been found in all countries where
search has been made for them but, owing to the
German ablt of eatlpg raw meat there have Deen
more coses 4 trchinOsis III that country than e0e-
where. ,., A.. .s....
The results OF correspondence with tho professors
of anatomy and the demonstrators OF anatomy In
nearly every medical college and pubHo institution
IN the United States where dissectlons are made are
given and the infrequency OF the disease ID TINS
country NAV be fairly presumed from then' lhese
stotistcs cover the institutions above-named from
the New q and, Middle. southern ana western
States including California. a short chapter u
added as To the general utility OF public aoattolrs
and n ia reiterated throughout the report that or
dinary cooking will destroy trichln@ and render
them harmless. The folly OF any nation prohbltng
the entry of pork from abroad when IN point OF laoG
no conntrv IA without trichinB OF lts own, ls
shown and IL is held to be ridiculous to assume that
foreign variety is more harmful than those OF ma,
tive production The report Is very voluminous aho
complete and IA considered highly creditable to tue
Treasury Department as well as 70 tne Matine tnI
Hospital Service in which the document Originated