Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-07-23
TrichIn@ spIrslis.

Trlchin@ Spiraiis.
A commission Is about to be appointed
by the authorities ut Washington to
learn what il can about the hog parasite
known as trichinm spiralis. Whatever
this commission may find out, il must
not be supposed that It's report will have
the least effect TO induce those European
Governments that are excluding Amcri-
can hog products to relax their cXclu-
sive policy. II Is, indeed, more likely
to produce the contrary effect. We
must not forget that when the French
and German Governments first fulmi-
mated their edicts against the American
hog, this subject was pretty thoroughly
investigated, both officially and unofi-
cially. II was pretty conclusively de-
monstrated at that time that American
pork was no more affected by the para
site than German pork, and that, as q
matter of fact, very few American hogs
were affected, and that the danger from
eating the products shipped abroad was
almost infinitesimal. This conclusion
was officially stated, in substance, and
In sufficiently strong terms, by our Secre-
tary Of State. The British authorities
seemed on the point of initiating the ex-
ample Of their continental neighbors,
but their consular agents here made
thorough Investigations, and upon their
favorable reports tina home authorities
dismissed the thought OF exclusion, and
ever since our hog products have been
freely admitted into Great Britain. Re-
opening tho subject at this time will
| give an impression that our officials
doubt the correctness of the conclusions
reached by thoir predecessors, and cast
more or less suspicion upon their own
truthfulness. So far, therefore, as for
eign markets are concerned, the investi-
cation now about to be made Is likely
TO be worse than useless.
There Is no longer any room for doubt
that our hog products are shut out OF
France and Germany not at all for SAM.
tary reasons, but for exactly tho same
reasons that actuate us in laying all but
prohibitory duties on French and Ger.
map fabrics. Their object is to protect
their farmers against American compe.
tition. That is absolutely all that their
policy means, and if we were to demon.
strate TO an absolute certainty that there
was not a trace Of trichinn spiralis in
American pork they would not be at al
shaken In their purpose. The German
Government wants the support Of the
landowners and agriculturists. The
French Government experiences SINH
lar want They are going TO have wha
they want If they can get lt by shutting
out American competition, be the conse
quences what they may to the consumers
of pork In their own country, and the
producers of pork I'm ours.
This has long been perfectly well un'
derstood in both France and Germany
rs we'll by the Chambers of Commerce u
by experts, though in the latter country
these classes Of people have been les
bold In saying what they know to b.
true. Within the past six months thu
French Chambers of Commerce have
strongly memorlalized the Governmen
on the subject. praying that only tn,
small percentage of diseased pork b,
barred out. The fact that they have re
ccived no favorable response plainl,
discloses the motive by which the Gov
ernment authorities are actuated in tn,
matter. The Agricultural Bureau has il
its possession work by Nj. Joanne
Chatter, who was appointed by tn
French Minister Of Agriculture to tax
charge OF the investigation of this matte
ut Havre. In the course OF four month
this expert and his assistants inSpccte
upward of million pieces of America
pork, and found that about two pc
cent. contained tricbinp. He conclude
that Frenchmen run no more rish j
eating American pork than catin
German pork. How small this risk
| hn fol Oft
ment by Professor Bollingcr, who hn
devoted much attention to thi
subject. He says: "From numerou
examinations OF American hams, tn
trichinn has been found. uniformly dead
Paris alone imported In 1880 thirty-nin
kilogrammes without o single case c
infection. The German examiner
make the percentage of pieces infecte
the same as the French examiners, an
they, too, find the parasite dead, an
therefore innocuous, in hams.
In view of all this, the futility of in
shutting an investigation with view {
securing moro favorable action from tn
French and German Governments
sufficiently apparent. No proof thu
we can adduce Of the wholesomeness {
our hog products will move them in til
least. Until they become convince
that 1t is bad policy to make food dea
for the benefit Of the land-owning an
breeding classes, we shall not b
able to induce them to let in America
pork, no matter how wholesome and e1
cellent in quality II may be.
But the statement comes from Wasl
ington that the object of the investigs
ton is not so much to find facts wit
which to ply the French and Germa
Governments as to discover in what Ii
calities.swine are affected by the para
site, and to learn how the disease ma
be kept in check and ultimately erad
Gated. With this end in view, som
preliminary Investigations have alread
been made In Chicogo. Prof. Detmer
has been examining specimens of no
products and endeavoring to locate th
infected districts. The COMMISSIONS
of Agriculture will, It is stated, instruc
the commission to proceed to thos
districts and endeavor to dis
cover the causes of the disease. Th
inference is that Prof. Detmers ha
found that the disease Is confined NOR
or less distinctly to localities. If this
the case, and II the infected district
can be fairly well defined, II will be b
no means impossible to extirpate IT,
will be quite within the power of buyer
and packers to afford the public q fai
degree Of protection, and they may fin
It to their own interest to do so.-Ch