The morning call., 1893-03-18
COOK YOUR PORK.
The Three Men Who Ate
Theirs Raw.
NOW AT THE HOSPITAL.
They Have Been in Very Bad Way
for Days, but They May
Recover.
NOW AT THE HOSPITAL.

The three men at the German Hospital in
this city suffering from trichinosis are on a
fair road to recovery.
William Hunins. Walter Nagel and John
Nagel, three Napa Valley ranchers, are the
victims of a diseased swine. which was
bought at st. Helena, killed and eaten al
Hunins' and Nagles' ranch, six miles from
that place.
These are remarkable cases in many ways.
and the first appearance Of Northumberland
swine on this coast for many years.
Since Sunday night the men have been
here. They were very low at first, but are
now on the high road to recovery.
The three sick men are equal partners in
200-acre ranch in the Napa Valley.
On February II they purchased a live hog
at st. Helena and took it home for killing.
certain portion of the hog was made
into sausage, and to test its palatability the
three men all tasted the hashed meat before
1t was cooked.
Each man took several mouthfuls of the
meat before he pronounced it just right.
This occurred on the same day as the
killing. but not until the 18th inst. were
there any symptoms of trichina or other
disease manifested in either of the three.
other portions of the animal were eaten
by Mr.. Hunins' family and by the Mage
brothers, but with the exception of the
sausage the other meat was cooked before
eaten, and no evil effects were produced
by it.
This at least is the reasonable hypothesis
from the fact that only those who tasted
the raw meat were taken i'll.
On the 18th Mr.. Hunins and the Nagel
brothers were afflicted with severe cOntrac-
tions OF the muscles all over the body,
accompanied with diarrhea.
These symptoms grew continually worse,
and by evening DR.. Dawson of st. Helena
was sent for.
He at once recognized the symptoms. and
after doing all in his power to relieve the suf-
ferers set about an examination of the meat.
In the latter work he was unsuccessful,
probably from the lack of proper instru-
ments, and for while he doubted whether
the patients were really suffering from this
dreadful scourge.
The three men grew worse as the days
went by, and Dr. Dawson advised them to
consult the authorities at the German Hos
pital in this city with view OF securing
treatment there.
There are no free beds at the German
Hospital and had il not been for the
kindly Offices of the German Benevolent
Society the three sufferers might have had
to remain at the ranch, and perhaps have
died from lack of proper treatment. DR..
Dawson did all he could for them, but the
accommodations of a ranch house are not
the best for patients so dangerously
stricken.
The benevolent society took the matter in
hand and last Sunday the three men were
safely housed at the German Hospital.
They were very weak at this time and it
looked as though their lives must be de-
SPARED of.
A consultation OF the physicians of that
Institution was held Monday morning. with
the result that the symptoms were dag
messed as Enthusiastically those of trichina.
Then DR.. Solomon. the resident physi-
clan, telegTaphed to the ranch for specimens
of that suspected hog. Pieces of the un-
cooked shoulder and ham, together with
some of the sausage which had not yet
passed into the boiling pot were submitted.
They were submitted to thorough
microscopic examination by DR.. Solomon
and found to be literally alive with the
Wriggling, squirming trichina.
This, of course, sde the diagnosis a
certainty, and under the skillful treatment
OF DR.. Baum, who has had charge Of the
case from the beginning, the three patien is
began 10 manifest unmistakable signs of
Improvement.
Last night, when CALL reporter visited
the hospital, the patients were resting, and
had passed very quiet day.
There Is still considerable twitching of
the muscles, but this Is not ACCOMPANIED
by the severe pains that were experienced
heretofore.
Dr. Hassler, the assistant resident
three of the men would ultimately recover.
Or. Baum was not at the hospital when
the reporter called but from the instructions
ne lett as to the treatment of his trchina
patients there is much reason TO believe that
their condition is very hopeful.
Irichina is hGir-lke nematoid bacteria.
In the larval state it is found in large guam