The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1918-05-25

portion of the Scripture to prove that rats,
snakes or buzzards are intended as human
food as to say that it applies to hogs, the filthy
scavengers of the earth. In fact, the con-
tention has not a leg to stand on, either
scientific or scriptural
The following article, by E. w. Croft, ap-
peared In the Waukegam Sun of January 9,
1916:
TRICHINOSIS
"And now we come to the scientific side of
the disease known as Trichina spiralis. I'm
fortunately, the trichina worm is not the only
parasite which infests the hog There is the
thorn-headed worm which is armed with six
rows of hooks, by means of which it attaches
itself to the intestinal wall. The average
length of the thorn-headed worm is from two
and half to II inches
"The round worm is another parasite. The
female round worm averages IL inches and
the male seven inches. The pin worm is an
other common parasite which infects hogs.
It's length is about one-half an inch, the
female being larger than the male. The whip
worm is usually found in the intestines of the
hog with it's head firmly attached to the lin
ing membrane of the large intestine This
worm is about one and half inches long,
'These are only few of the parasites
which infest hogs. The most deadly, and
perhaps the smallest, is the trichina worm.
The male trichina measures about one-six-
teenth of an inch long and the female one
eighth to five-thirty- seconds of an inch. It
is said that hogs and rats are most susceptible
to this disease and as rats infest stock yards
they are often eaten by the hog and in this
way it is believed that they become infected
with the trichina worm. Pigs roaming around
often eat the dead bodies of rodents and this
may account for the prevalence of trichina
in some parts. In Paris per cent of the
sewerage rats are infected with trichinosis,
and in Germany the percentage rises to Is
and 20 per cent. In Chicago and Cincinnati,
u. S. A., the proportion of rats suffering
from trichinosis has been as high as SO to 70
per cent.
when the trichina has invaded the human
muscles, no drug has the power to destroy it.
When infected swine's flesh is eaten, the en-
bryos develop into sexual parasites which re-
main in the intestines. They undergo multi
plication, however, and the embryos thus
produced bore their way through the walls of
the intestines and are then carried by the
blood into the muscular system where they
become encysted and remain for years. A
writer in the Encyclopedia Medica, Vol. 9,
says: "Trichinosis is exceedingly common
in the United States, though American wri-
tiers seldom admit the fact" One writer says
that ordinary freezing has no effect on tri-
chinae, and sailing and smoking are both un-
reliable. The total number of trichina worms
present in the muscles in some cases is from
80 to 100 millions. When the worms lodge
in the muscles they coil up in a spiral shape
and in time become covered with tissue.
In this state if is canahla acc0rdino IN thp
best authorities, of retaining it's vitality for
many years. The sufferer is troubled with
pains in the muscles. Oedema of the trunk
and limbs occurs later and is followed by
profuse perspiration. In severe cases the
symptoms are somewhat similar to typhoid
fever. The patient suffers with delirium and
later death inevitably follows
The following article, which appeared in
the Chicago Post of January 20, 1916, shows
the astounding per cent of persons suffering
from trichinosis:
ONE IN TEN HOSPITAL DEATHS
CAUSED BY EATING PORK
Post-mortem Examinations at County Insti-
tuition Show the Prevalence of Trichinosis,
Says Warden Smith
Zone out of every ten persons who die at
the County Hospital is found on post-mor-
tenn examination to have been suffering from
trichinosis, the disease that fills the muscles
with worms and is caused by eating raw or
only partly cooked pork, according to the
statement today Of Clayton Smith, warden
of the institution.