The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-10-05
DEATH FROM rRIcHINosis.
A viotini Of This Awful Disease In
New York.

~ T N ~ W. 4
A Viotini Of This Awful Disease In
New York.
Joseph Palmi, laborer, died at
Bellevue Hospital, Wednesday, of that
fortunately rare but extremely painful
disease, trichinosis. This disease may
be described to the technical reader as
the propagation and infinite multiplica-
ton of minute living worms in The mus
cles of the entire system. 1t usually
arises from the incautious use OF raw or
partially cooked pork.
On last Saturday afternoon the police
summoned an ambulance to No. 40
Mulberry street to remove a man who
was supposed to be suffering from Sc
we're attack Of iHfammatory rheuma-
tism. DIR. Henderson; the ambulance
! surgeon, so reported the case on his ar
rival, and it was thus entered on the
books, but when DIR. ID. H. Williams, jr.
proceeded to examine the patient in his
ward, he could not find any of the Gus
tomary symptoms of infammatory rheu-
matism. An interpreter was summoned.
when Joseph was closely examined as
to his experiences. He stated that the
acute pains of which he complained had
begun about June and continued TO in
crease in intensity and extent until the
ambulance came for him. As these
pains had first developed in the stomach
and then spread through the body, Dr.
Williams decided that it must be case
of trichinosis. Palml at first denied
that he had been eating pork, but final
j ly admitted that about week before
the pains appeared he had purchased
some pigs feet of a butcher in Mulberry
street near his residence. His wife and
children had eaten the food with him.
The man suffered terribly, and the
physician was compelled to administer
opiates, both internally and hypoder-
mically, to ease the excruciating pain
caused by the myriads of worms invad-
ing every muscle of his writhing body.
Though the patient was able to take
slight nourishment he continued to grow
weaker day after day, until death finally
put an end to his sufferings.
Although I nave not yet completed
my diagosis," said DR.. Williams yester-
day. II have no doubt that the case is
one OF trichinosis. Palmi acknowledged
having eaten pigs feet during the last
week in May, but he must have eaten
other kinds of pork, for pigs feet con-
tain very little muscle, being principally
composed of tendons, cartilage and ge-
latinous matter. According to his state
ment his wife had slight attack of
abdominal spasms, which are the first
symptoms of the disease. She, however,
seems to have recovered, though l
should not be surprised If the woman
was brought here in the same state as
her husband was. Trichinosis consists
of the breeding of minute worms in the
muscles, and they go on multiplying
until the entire system is filed with
them. Being in the muscles of the pork,
which has not been properly cooked
and it must be submitted to a heat of
255 degrees to kill the worms-they are
taken into the stomach. Here they be-
gan increasing and produce the abdomi-
nal spasms which are the initial symp-
toms then, following the intestinal track
they finally pass through the abdominal
walls and so enter the Emphatic Or
gans. From that moment the patient Is
doomed, unless he is so constituted that
his system can resist the trichina when
they become encysted and die. II they
are too strong for resistance they go on
! living in the muscles until the latter de-
compose and death ensues very quickly.
when Palmi was first brought here
took piece of muscle from his fore
| arm and discovered that he had
previously suffered from the disease,
because there were encysted worms
visible in it. After he died portions OF
the muscles in the calf and shoulder
were removed, and these we intend
examining under the microscope just as
| the portions are, and then they will be
hardened and their transverse sections
prepared for further examination. But
there is no doubt that our diagnosis is
the correct one. One of the symptoms
is an intense thirst and agonizing pain,
both of which were present in this
case. Usually trichinosis is developed
from pork which is eaten raw, and
people frequently have it who are in
the habit of eating raw Westphalis
hams and bologna sausage. But pork
is not the only meat which is capable
of developing trichina. for they are
found in the muscles of dogs and cats,
| rats and mice, and even moles, all o.
which animals eat pork. The origin o.
trichin@ is unknown, and they may be
inherited for all we know. New
York World.