FAEMERS' INSTITUTES. 303 



After the worms get fully distributed the physician can only hope to check 

 secondary diseases and minister to the general strength of the patient, and then 

 prayerfully await the results. 



Prevention. 



Scientific experiment has shown that while the parasites may endure smoke 

 and salt, they are not proof against heat. That if pork be so thoroughly cooked 

 as to destroy all redness of the flesh and juices throughout, the worms Avill also 

 be baked, and may thus serve to nourish the muscles, rather than to be nour- 

 ished by them. In case of large pieces, such as hams, this demands much care. 

 It seems to me that this precaution should never be neglected. No one should 

 ever eat raw ham, bacon or pork of any description ; neither should any be set 

 on the table till the cooking has been most thorough ar.d complete. To be sure, 

 the hogs on the farms are less liable to attack* than those in and about slaughter- 

 houses, yet through the agency of some tramp of a rat, access to filth or other 

 cause, tliese too may bear the fatal germs, and where such serious and often 

 appalling results are the price of neglect, no one should dare to take the awful 

 responsibility to pr -ctico it. It is said that some of the worst cases of epidemic 

 trichinosis in Europe have come from eating American bacon. Let no lover of 

 23ork ever think to neglect this precautionary measure, lest a most serious 

 calamity come upon him. 



As a further prevention there should be at once a tliorough and absolute 

 reform in the treatment of hogs. It Avould sometimes seem that all a Jew 

 Avould need to do to make proselytes to his faith would be to eucouragc visits to 

 some of the piggeries of our State, I believe I might say most of the piggeries 

 of our country. Such places are far too often the very quintessence of iiastiness, 

 the perfect embodiment of filth, a most revolting example of defilement. 



I fully believe that in no other respect do our farmers act so unwisely and 

 cruelly as in the management of their swine. I never look upon the clean, beau- 

 tiful, well-kejot pigs at our annual exhibition without thinking that these ani- 

 mals at least must believe in fairs. Of course it is not necessary to rub and 

 wash the pigs with such care, but no where about the farm should more care 

 and neatness be exercised than in caring for the pigs. This will pay in the 

 bettered condition of the animals, finer quality of pork, and is imperatively 

 demanded in view of this very parasite question. The pens should be frequently 

 cleaned, and in no case should the hogs be fed, or be obliged to make their beds 

 in fifth of any kind. If pork is to be fed to the hogs, it should be thoroughly 

 cooked, that in case there should be any trichina, they would not be propa- 

 gated. 



In some parts of Europe government demands a microscopic examination of 

 the pork by competent scientific authority. With us this is impracticable. The 

 best that we can do is to exercise the utmost care and neatness in the manage- 

 ment of our swine. Then if we take the most important precaution, to see that 

 our pork is thoroughly cooked, we may feel quite safe in the assurance that we 

 shall be preserved from one of the worst plagues that has ever afflicted the 

 human family. Should one single case of neglect bring the grim monster to 

 our homes how could we ever dry the tear of regret and grief, or feel to exer- 

 cise self -forgiveness? 



* Since this address was delivered, several cases of trichinosis have occurred in a family of Alle- 

 gan countj', caused hy eating uncooked ham from a hog which was fattened on the farm of the suf- 

 ferers. 



