Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-03-20
THE AMERICAN HOG.
Surgeon General Hamilton Says that
it II Not TrichinOus.

WASHINGTON, March l9.-The rights OF
the American hog have again become the
subject of a diplomatic correspondence.
u is understood that Secretary Freling-
huysen has taken the matter in hand, and
will make representations to the German
Government with view to the repeal of
the prohibition OF American pork. Should
that Government persist in its position,
after assurances from an official source
that there is no foundation for
the fears which brought about the embar
GO II Is understood that the President will
consider the subject with reference to the
best means for retaliation, and may advise
Congress Of his views in special message,
should the matter not be adjusted before
December. Surg-Gen. Hamilton of the
marine hospital service directed an inyesti-
CATION of triChin;c and trichinOsiS recently,
concerning which an exhaustive report was
published. DR.. Hamilton is thoroughly
familiar with the subject. and qualified 10
speak authoritatively. He was asked what
he thought of the action of the German
government in prohibiting the introduc-
lion Of
American Pork.
He said The action of the German
Government is simply commercial opera
tiUn: there are no sanitary grounds Tor
such procedure, and it is simply an eX-
cuse for the prohibition of pork which sue
Cessfuuy completes with their markets.
1t is said that the government has exclud.
ed the American hog on the ground that it.
IS trichinOus; that is TO say, that the Amer
lean hog product is more affected with
trichina. than that Of any other country.
AN investigation of this subject which |
caused TO be made in 1850, shows
that the original .trichine CEN
tres are in Germany Again, 1t IS
we'll known that trichinG infest all ami
mails. Even wild animals are not exempt.
Now, the trichinr not being peculiar TO
the hog, its cause must be found In the Ia
cility with which the respective animals
may obtain the eggs. Meat can only be-
come trichinous 6y the animal eating the
eggs of the parasite. II We look at the
food Of American swine that find their
way 10 market, il is seen that they are
mostly fed on corn in the ear, and dis
tjllery slop. IL is evident that eggs CT
trichina cannot be found in ears OF corn,
nor in distillery swill. Indeed, it is I'M
possible that
TriehInR EgxS
could survive the cooking Of swill which 1t
undersoes before it is fed to animals. e is
not known sc the present time what
animals is the original asylum OF the
trichina. The weight Of evidence, how
ever, appears to be in favor Of the rat. An
attempt was made in the report Of DR..
Glozier to find out whether the dissecting
rooms of the United States furnished any
evidence that trichinS were present IN the
bodies examined. Pathologists in the
asylum throughout the United States and
demonstrators of anatomy were written 10
in regard to this matter. The general
testimony was TO the effect that trichine
were very rare indeed in the human body.
II they had been prevalent, certainly they
would have been found among the class OF
bodies which are taken 70 the dlssecting
rooms.
ITO return 10 hogs. When you exclude
those fed on corn aud those fed on distlll-
erv slops which are not trichinouS food, II
will be seen that a very small proportion
is left. OF these, few find their way to
market II is not so, however, IN Ger
many. Thee hogs are kept up in pens.
and house garbage and other refuse are fed
10 them. The practice Of feeding dead
poultry and the like to hogs does not pre-
vail in the United States. So far as the
statement thst trichiae has been found IN
lard is concerned, il is entirely untrue,
unless, BY accident, trichinR were lncap-
sulated and escaped the strsiner. The
cooking of lard is certain to destroy the
eggs. and in the ineapsulated form thus
cooked Of course reproduction is impossi'
ble"