124 LECTURES. 



them. In had cases of capsuled trichina, if the 

 system is properly supported, patients will recover 

 who otherwise would undoubtedly have perished. 

 Various drugs have been administered, but at this 

 stage they have failed to effect any good. I have 

 no faith in the picro-nitrate of potash or other 

 vaunted remedies. They have probably done more 

 harm than good ; for it should be borne in mind that 

 any drug sufficiently powerful to poison this ento- 

 zoon could scarcely fail, when introduced into the 

 human body, to act injuriously upon the bearer. 

 The great point is, in bad cases, to support the 

 system at all hazards. In the early stage of the 

 malady, before the embryos have commenced mi- 

 grating, all the parasites may be dislodged and 

 serious consequences be prevented. It should be 

 borne in mind, moreover, that the unpleasant 

 symptoms do not show themselves until at least a 

 week has elapsed since the ingestion of the diseased 

 meat ; that is to say, at a period corresponding to 

 the birth and development of the migrating pro- 

 geny." 



In England, until very lately, no case of trichi- 

 niasis had been recognised in the living human 

 subject. It is true that trichinae have been ob- 

 served, after death, in at least thirty separate in- 

 stances ; several of these trichinized subjects having 

 been examined by myself. Into our experimental 

 inquiries on this head I do not propose to enter ; 



