The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-09-29
DISEASE FROM BEASTS.
DR.. Hammond Tells Of Ills That
Man Takes From Animals.
Chambers and Other Diseases From Horses
Parasites Acquired From Hogs
The Cysticercus, the TApeworm
and the Trichina.

The fact that many of the diseases
which affect animals are capable of be-
ing contracted by man is no longer a
matter for discussion. We see evil
dences of its truth on all sides and we
make use of the knowledge in order to
protect ourselves from other diseases
to which mankind is subject. Thus we
take the matter engendered by the
cow-pox and by inoculating ourselves
with it protect ourselves from that
great scourge of former days-small-
pox. It is well known, too, that Pas
teur asserts his ability to secure the
immunity of the human subject from
hydrophobia by inoculating with atten-
uated hydrophobia virus, but it is by no
means yet proved that his efforts have
In single case been successful. The
late Mr.. Darwin relied upon the fact
that animals are subject to many of the
diseases which are met with in man.
kind for one Of his chief arguments in
favor Of the identity of origin of man
and those below him in the scale of
creation. Thus. not only hydrophobia
and smallpox, but CHAMBERS, cholera
and certain skin diseases can be COM
inundated from animals to man. In
addition to these strictly contagious
affections, the lower animals are sub
jet to other diseases to which man is
liable. Among these are consumption,
catarrh, apoplexy, Inflammation of the
bowels and certain affections OF the
brain and spinal cord, causing convul-
sions, tremor and paralysis.
Among the most important diseases
which we contract from the lower ami
mails are those which are due to para
sites of various kinds. As these some
times produce fatal results and as they
are all more or less preventable, pro-
pose to restrict what i have to say at
this time to the consideration of some
OF those diseases which are due to the
presence of various organic beings
which man derives from the domestic
animals which minister to his wants.
Most farmers are familiar with what
Is called measled pork, but few per-
sons outside Of the medical profession
know in what the condition really con-
sists. The general belief is that it is
. disease similar to the. measles to
which the human race is subject. With
that disease, however, it has no analo-
gy. A hog that Is measly is inhabi-
ted, SO to speak, by numerous organ
isms, called, in learned phraseology,
cysticercus, or, in the vernacular, blad-
der worm, which name is due to the
fact that its body consists of vesicle
which is large enough to be visible to
the naked eye. This body has a COM
paratively long neck and round head
to which numerous hooks are attached,
by means of which it can adhere to
any part of the body in which it may
settle. Besides the hog, it is frequent
ly met with in sheep. The chief
danger to man arising from the exist
ence of this parasite is due to the fact
of its prediction for the hog. 1t is
destroyed by temperature of 10 de-
grees Fahrenheit, and as we do not
often eat our mutton without first cook
ing it (although mutton hams dried
and smoked are sometimes taken with
out being cooked) we are not very lie
BILE TO get these organisms into our sys-
tenn from this source. Certain classes
of our population, however. are in the
habit of eating pork which has been
subjected to no more thorough cooking
than such as has been afforded by the
smoke house, and this is never suffi-
Gent to kill the cysticercus. As con-
sequence the animal obtains a lodg-
ment in the human body and if it is
content to make its way to the muscles
and remain there quietly it does little
Or no harm. But its habits appear to be
migratory, and hence it not infre-
quently makes excursions into the eve
or the brain or other important organs,
giving rise to serious symptoms and
frequently causing death. 1t appears
TO have particular liking for tho brain
and especially for that most important
part OF this organ-the gray matter.
Epilepsy, acute mania. imbecility and
stupor are some of the conditions
which are the consequence of its pres
ence and death usually ends the series
of morbid disturbances.
A great difficulty in the way of the
successful treatment Of diseases caused
by cystscercms is due to the fact that we
have no means of recognizing their
presence In the brain until we come to
make . post-mortem examination, the
symptoms which they produce not b.