Dr. Fleming on the Tapeworm. 277 



of a creature expressly organized to lead a parasite 

 life. I have never yet heard of an English butcher 

 who had ever seen one of these parasites, and yet 

 I believe that at this moment at least 10,000 

 persons in this country are playing the part of 

 host to these creatures. Butchers are profoundly 

 ignorant in this respect. You will say, How do 

 cattle get the parasite ? I will explain. Millions 

 of these creatures pass from their human bearers 

 every day in this country, with other things that 

 are vile, and make their way into the sewage, 

 which it is now the fashion to spread over the 

 land, far and wide, and are thus distributed by 

 millions upon the delightful verdure on which 

 our cattle graze. These eggs are thus often 

 taken into the mouths of animals along with green 

 fodder ; every ^^^ swallowed from fresh sewage 

 becomes a measle, and every measle that is in the 

 flesh of the animal goes to market, and is thence- 

 forth liable to be sold and eaten, and will after- 

 wards become a tapeworm, providing the purchaser 

 does not take the precaution of having the food 

 properly cooked. Here is the value of reason — 

 the animal neither reasons about it, nor does it 

 cook its food ; if we would avoid these things our- 

 selves, we must simply have the food well cooked. 

 A temperature of 160°, if continued, will be suf- 

 ficient to kill trichinse, whilst 140° will kill Cys- 

 iicercus hovisP The horse becomes affected with 

 tapeworm in the same manner as cattle. When 

 the symptoms we have pointed out are noticed, 

 the groom should carefully watch whether worms 

 are voided, to ascertain their existence. Still, 



