336 OUR HUMBLE HELPERS 



sand ; but the odious worm of the diseased pig must 

 have the human body for its new home nothing 

 else." 



"It can't be that the abominable creature really 

 gets into us." 



"It gets there very easily, and it is we ourselves 

 who unconsciously open the door to the perfidious 

 enemy. Some day or other the pig is killed for our 

 nourishment. Its four legs become hams, other 

 parts are made into sausages, its fat is tried out and 

 stored away. All these various pork products are 

 well salted, carefully dried, or sometimes smoked; 

 nothing is neglected that will assure long keeping. 

 Now in all this thorough treatment, this salting and 

 trying and smoking, what do you think becomes of 

 the little worms inhabiting the diseased flesh!" 



"They must die, surely." 



"That is where you are mistaken. They are very 

 tenacious of life, the accursed things ! The strong- 

 est saline solution leaves them unaffected; but if 

 some or even a great many should perish, there 

 would always be plenty of survivors, for they are 

 numerous beyond counting. Behold, then, our food 

 infected with the vermin that at the first opportunity 

 will invade our bodies. You eat a sausage the size 

 of your finger, or a slice of ham, and the thing is 

 done: with the appetizing mouthful you have just 

 swallowed the horrible creature. Henceforth the 

 enemy is with you, at home ; it will grow, develop, be 

 transformed, and cause no end of mischief." 



"But the stomach will digest it, I hope, as it would 



