142 CHEMISTRY OF THE ANIMAL PARASITES 



animals differed from normal muscles in having more water because 

 of edema, an increase in extractives, ammonia coinpounds, lactic acid 

 and volatile acids, with fluctuating values in both creatine and purines, 

 (xlyeogen is decreased not only in the infected muscle but also in the 

 liver and kidneys. The parasites themselves are remarkably resistant 

 to strong acids, perhaps because of the lipoid content of their surface 

 covering, in which keratin could not be positively identified; choles- 

 terol and glycogen were present. The blood of infected animals shows 

 an excess of nuclein material, and may give albumose and diazo re- 

 actions; the red corpuscles have a lowered resistance to hemolysis by 

 hypotonic solutions. Trichinous muscle contains substances that pro- 

 duce marked local tissue irritation, which may be purines; a curare- 

 like poison was also found, which was believed to be a guanidine deriva- 

 tive, as well as a "fatigue poison" which probably consists of the 

 lactic acid and other muscle extractives. The location of trichinella 

 in muscle may be ascribable to their need for glycogen for nourish- 

 ment and the fact that their metabolism is carried out anaerobically 

 may account for the character of the products (fatty acids, etc.). 



The intoxication of trichinosis probably is the combined result of 

 the products of the metabolism of the parasites, the products of muscle 

 disintegration, and perhaps also of anaphylactic reaction to the pro- 

 teins of the parasite and the altered muscle proteins. As evidence of 

 the anaphylactic condition is the conspicuous eosinophilia, which we 

 know is often the result of anaphylactic intoxication,-'**'' Metabolism 

 studies show a preliminary nitrogen, creatinine and purine retention, 

 followed by excessive loss of all three. There is also an intense diazo 

 reaction, and increased excretion of lactic and organic acids. The 

 hypothesis that bacterial invasion is responsible for the intoxication 

 of trichinosis does not seem to be well supported (Herrick, Gruber). 



The serum of infected animals is not toxic, and does not protect 

 against infection with trichinella (Gruber^*''). Salzer,^*'' however, 

 found that the serum of recovered patients had a curative effect in 

 persons acutely intoxicated with trichiniasis, and also a marked pro- 

 phylactic effect in experimental animals; it removed the eosinophilia 

 both in men and animals. lie also observed evidence of a reduction 

 of the bilirubin of the feces by the trichinae, so that the stools were 

 clay colored without icterus. Positive complement fixation reactions 

 are given by tlio serum of trichinella infected poreons. '*''''' 



TJncinaria duodenalis, wliieh has for its chief effect tlie production 

 of a severe anemia, seems to cause this anemia by producing rejieated 

 small hemorrliages rather than by any toxic action. Tlie abundance 



5Ra Spo llcrrick, Jour. Amor. ^Icd. Assoc, ini,5 ((>")), ISTfl; Schwartz. Kri;i'b. 

 allp. Pat.liol., lit 14 (17), l.^ti. 



BSbMiincli. med. Wocli., 1!)14 (01), 045. 

 58r.Tour. Amer. Mod. Assoc, 1010 (67), .')79. 

 58dStroebel, Miinch. mod. Woch., 1911 (58), G72. 



