204 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY OF 



of the outbreak ; and an active inquiry into all the circum:^tances of the dinner 

 was instituted. Every article of food and material was subjected to a most 

 ri"-id examination, without any result in the first instance. But A\lien the symp- 

 tor.8 in some of the cases invaded the muscles of tliele<^, particularly the calves 

 of some of the sufi'erers, the description which Zenker had given of a fatal case 

 of trichinous disease was remembered. The remnants of sausage, and of pork 

 employed in its manufactui-e, were examined with the microscope, and found 

 to be literally swarming with encapsuled trichinae. From the sufieriiig muscles 

 of several of the victims small pieces were excised, and under the microscope 

 found charged with endjryonic tiichinSe in all stages of development. It could 

 not be diuibted any longer, that as many of the one hundred and three as had 

 had ])artaken of lluslcivurst had been infested with trichinous disease by eating 

 of trichinous pork, the parasites of which had, at I(;ast in part, escaped the 

 efl'ects of smoking and frying. 



'JMiis awful catastrojflK; awakened sympathy and fear throughout the whole 

 of Germany. Most of the leading physicians were considted in the interest of 

 the suflerers, and some visited the neighborhood where most of the afflicted 

 patii'Uts remained. But none could bring relief or cure. AVith an obstinacy 

 unsurpassed by any other infectious or parasitic disease, trichiniasis carried its 

 victims to the grave. Many anthelmintics were arrayed to destroy, if not the 

 worms already in the flesh, at least those yet remaining in the intestinal canaJ. 

 Picric acid was employed until its use seemed as dangerous as the disease; 

 benzole, which had promised well in experiments upon animals, was tried, but 

 was unavailing. As patient after patient died off, and the dissection of each 

 proved the parasites to have been quite unaffected by the agents employed, the 

 conviction was impressed upon every mind that a man afflicted Avith llesh-worm 

 is doomed to die the slow death of exhaustion from nervous irritation, fever, and 

 loss of muscular power in parts of the system essential to existence. 



But medical science had only just unravelled a mystery; and if it could not 

 eave the victims, it was determined at least to turn the occasion to the next 

 best account. The cases were therefore observed with care and chronicled 

 with skill. All the multifarious features of the parasitic disease were registered 

 in such a manner that there can hereafter be no difficulty in the diagnosis of 

 this disorder. A valuable diagnostic feature was repeatedly observed, namely, 

 the ap])earance of the ilesh-worm under the thin mucous membrane on the 

 lower side of the tongue. The natural history of trichina in man was fouud to 

 be the same as that in animals. 



All observations led to the conviction that the trichina encapsuled in the 

 flesh is in the condition of puberty. Brought into the stomach, the calcareous 

 capsule is digested with the flesh, and the trichina is set free. It probably 

 feeds upon the walls of the intestines themselves, for the irritation of the intes- 

 tines b( gins before the bringing forth oi 'young trichina} has taken place. 

 Copulation is immediately effected; and within a few hours, or a short portion 

 of days, from sixty to eighty live embryos leave the female, and begin theii 

 own career of destruction. 



This consists, in the first instance, in an attempt to pierce the walls of the 

 intestinal canal. Great inflammation of the entire surface ensues, ending not 

 rarely in death of the villous or mucous membrane, or in the formation of masses 

 of pus on its surface. Sometimes there are bloody stools. But these severe 

 symptoms only ensue when much trichinous meat has been eaten ; when less 

 has been consumed, pain and uneasiness in the abdomen arc produced, accom- 

 panied, however, in all instances by wasting fever and prostration. The 

 embryos actually pierce- the intestines, and are found free in the eff"usion. 

 sometimes serous, sometimes purulent, which is ahvays poured out into the 

 abdominal cavity. Thence they again proceed towards ,the periphery of the 

 body, pierce the peritoneum, causing great irritation, and sometimes peritonitis, 



