The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-06-09
Does Salt Kill Trichin8 ?

A French sarant, NJ. Colin, some time
ago declared that the sailing of meat was
sure and certain method of destruction to
these parasites. This, however, was differ
ent to the opinions after expressed by
German investigators, and also to the fact
that several cases of trichiuosis, believed
to have resulted from the eating of Amer
lean hams that had long been salted, had
been reported. Among other chemists,
Schmitt, Chatim Girard, and Pabst, and
De Benecke and Libon, may be mentioned
as observers who had found the trichine
still living in meats that had been salted
for several months. The experiments of
NJ. Colin led to others by NJ. Fourment,
the results of which have just been publish
ed as report to the French Academy.
These experiments show conclusively
that the sailing of meats cannot be regard
ed as a safeguard against trichinosis. NJ.
Fourment took piece Of meat on the 18th
of April, 1881, from some American salted
meats examined at the Havre docks and
found infested. The meat was placed in a
flask and imbebbed in fine salt. 1t was
then Theoretically sealed and not opened
till the LIST of April, 1882. By this time
the meat had undergone a years sailing
carried to the highest degree, and if we
add the time that must have elapsed since
it was first put in salt in America (Which
could not be put at less than three months)
the meat may be said to have been in salt
for at least fifteen months. The meat
was then cut up into small pieces, and these
were placed in water, which was frequent
ly changed to remove the salt, and remained
for several hours in temperature Of 10
Fahrenheit On the 4th, 9th, 9th of April
this was fed to mouse, which died on the
7th, after presenting symptoms Of diarrhea.
The intestine was evidently infamed, and
contained sexually developed trichina.
A second and a third mouse were fed with
more of the meat, and with exactly similar
results in each case. Several other exper-
iments were made. NJ. Fourment says
that all show that the trichina were then
certainly alive and capable of reproduction
after fifteen months Of sailing; and it is
consequently manifest that sailing does not
surely and rapidly destroy these parasites
They may die in salted meats as well as in
any other situation, and thus explain the
negative experiments published by distin-
guished observers; but they may also live
considerable time without our being able
to determine the length of the period after
which death necessarily follows latent life.
But, although salting is thus an uncer-
tain remedy, there need be no danger
whatever from trichinosis if only the meat
be properly cooked. In no single CASE
and there have been numerous experiments
made-has heat failed to entirely destroy
these parasites. Fjord, in Sweden, and
Krabbe, in Germany, have both proved
that a temperature of 1859 Fahrenheit
kills trichine if maintained for Is minutes,
while $3.50 Fahrenheit has been shown by
many experiments to kill instantaneously.
Only those who neglect the precaution of
thorough cooking-absolutely necessary IN
the case of all pig meat and sausages-need
be under any fear of these parasites.