816 Pseiuloliypertrophy of Muscles. Trichina Disease. 



Medicinal trt-atiiieiit is useless, but the disease is warded off by 

 the introduction of fresh blood in the l)reeding animals, by exercise 

 and suitable feeding of the mother animals during pregnancy (Fiirsten- 

 berg, Y. A., 1864, XXIX, 152). 



Pseudohypertrophy of Muscles. This was noticed by Schindelka in a two- 

 year old Italian greyhound. The superior and lateral muscles of the neck, the 

 muscles of the shoulder, thigh, back and loin appeared thickened and their outlines 

 plainly visible. The muscles of the hind quarter were firm to the touch, those situated 

 more anteriorly, soft, and at the neck as soft as fat. Owing to contraction of the 

 flexor tendons of the hind extremities, only the points of the toes were brought to the 

 ground in walking. Weakness and pronounced indolence were noted ; the patellar 

 reflex was absent. The thyroid glands were plainly atrophied. The administration 

 of thyroidin tablets caused only a transient improvement. After about 3 years the 

 previously tractable dog became irritable and vicious and was therefore killed. 

 (T. Z., 1908, 67.) 



3. Trichina Disease. Trichinosis. 



History. Trichina were first noticed in the muscles of man by 

 Paget (1837), although calcified trichinae were found earlier by Hilton 

 (1832), Tiedemann (1822), and Peacock (1828) (Ostertag). The worm 

 discovered by Paget was described by Owen and thus became known. 

 ]\Iuscle trichinae in smne were first demonstrated in America by Leidy 

 (1847). In a postmortem on a girl, Zenker (1860) found a great num- 

 ber of young trichinae in the muscular tissue, and sexually mature 

 w^orms in the intestinal canal. He found out afterwards that the girl 

 referred to had, before her illness, taken ham and sausages containing 

 encapsuled trichina and that other people had contracted the disease 

 from the same source. Through the feeding experiments undertaken 

 with Zenker's material by Leuckart and Virchow, the outbreaks of 

 trichinosis in Germany were elucidated, and by microscopic examina- 

 tion of s^^dne flesh the etiology of the disease was clearly established. 

 Recently Hoyberg and Strose made valuable observations on the mode 

 of infection. 



In Hungary only a few muscle trichina had, until the year 1891, 

 been found accidentally in human corpses by G^nersich (1867 and 

 1891), as well as by Bollinger (1875) ; in the year 1891 the disease 

 was found by Ballagi in living men at the iron works of Diosgyor. 



Occurrence. TrichinaB have hitherto been found in tame 

 and vnM s\vine, in rats, mice, dogs, cats, foxes, martens, bears, 

 badgers, polecats, etc., and also not infrequently in man. 



An exact statistical record of the frequency of trichinosis can evidently only be 

 compiled in places where trichinae inspection is in vogue. In the German empire 

 one generally finds more cases in North or East Germany than in the Southern 

 States. Thus Eulenburg put the percentage in the Kingdom of Prussia in the 

 years 1876-1885 at about 0.059%. In the years 1890-1895, out of 25,490,339 swine 

 examined, 7,897 or 0.03% were trichinous; in the years 1897 to 1903 out of 64,648,755 

 swine 7,694 or 0.011%; in the vear 1904 on the contrary only 0.005%; in the year 

 1905, 0.007%; in the year 1906, 0.006%, and in the year 1907, 0.005%. In the 

 Kingdom of Saxony in the years 1899-1902 out of 11,029,467 swine examined 1161 

 were found to be trichinous, or a percentage of about 0.01%, while in the years 1903 

 to 1905, the percentage was similar to that in the Kingdom of Prussia; in the year 

 1906 it was only 0.003%. In Prussia as well as in Saxony there has been a gradual 

 decrease in the number of cases. In Bavaria in the year 1906, there was a percentage 

 of 0.001%. 



