3oo 



SCIENCE. 



purposes of experimentation ; and, while entirely new 

 facts were not elicited, a few words might be said as to 

 the results of various trials. 



Encapsulated trichinae were notoriously tenacious of 

 life ; but here were the immature, only recently emi- 

 grated parasites, still wandering about in the muscles. 

 A few of the animals had indeed already assumed the 

 position of a spiral coil, which was the preparatory stage 

 of encapsulation. But the majority were either stretched 

 out or twisted at either extremity. Little pieces of the 

 woman's muscles were exposed to the action of cold, be- 

 ing several times frozen. Examination, four days after- 

 ward, found them apparently quiescent. A gradual ele- 

 vation of temperature up to about ioo° F. soon proved 

 that life was not extinct, in so far, at least, as active mo- 

 tions can be interpreted as an indication of vitality. Ten 

 days later the parasites were still alive. Some of the flesh 

 was then allowed to undergo partial putrefaction. Even 

 then the animals were living. This was thirteen days 

 after the death of the woman. 



On the day following the autopsy, some fresh muscle 

 was teased, and, there being an abundance of living 

 trichina;, many thus became isolated. The animals were 

 never seen to actually creep along in a definite direction. 

 Their movements resembled the unfurling and recoiling 

 of a pennon. Nevertheless, a change of place was now 

 and then fortuitously effected. Next, the parasites were 

 subjected to the action of different reagents. Saliva pro- 

 duced no visible effect upon them. Dilute acids resulted 

 in increased activity of motions. Alkalies made them 

 sluggish. Concentrated solutions of both rapidly killed 

 them. In carbolic acid they squirmed and writhed be- 

 fore dying. Glycerine, contrary to what was supposed, 

 did not immediately kill them. Some lived for ten min- 

 utes after its addition. Finally, however, the worms 

 became shrivelled up into almost shapeless filaments. If 

 previously heated, however, they retained their form to a 

 great extent. 



A little of the fresh muscle was submitted to artificial 

 digestion by being placed in a suitable fluid and exposed 

 for twelve hours to about body heat. The muscle was 

 in great part dissolved at the end of this time, and 

 many free parasites were found in the liquid. But they 

 were, if anything, less active than they had been, and, as 

 soon as the liquid was allowed to cool, their movements 

 ceased, to be renewed, however, on reheating the slide. 

 A noteworthy fact, and one of great interest, was that 

 the trichinae had unquestionably grown. But. though 

 their size was now increased, and although indications 

 of sex could be barely perceived, a distinct evolution into 

 mature males and females was not obtained. It must 

 be remarked, however, that future experiments at such 

 artificial breeding may be more successful. Through an 

 inadvertence the continuation of the artificial digestion was 

 interfered with, the animals being killed by over-heating. 



Portions of partially putrified muscle were placed in 

 vials containing water, with the addition of a small pro- 

 portion of glycerine, carbolic acid, and alcohol. In this 

 liquid the parasites were maintained in a comparatively 

 good state of perservation, showing the details of their 

 interesting organization with satisfactory clearness. 

 Permanent specimens, no matter what technique of pre- 

 paration may be employed, were never found as perfect 

 as recent ones made from bits of muscle thus kept. Of 

 course, fresh would answer still better than partially de- 

 cayed muscle. 



Concerning the pathological condition of the infested 

 muscles, the changes there found were the frequently 

 described conditions of acute myositis accompanied by 

 vitreous metamorphosis, cloudy swelling, and fatty de- 

 generation. In some places the interfascicular hyperze- 

 mia and small-celled infiltration were beautifully seen. 



The subject of trichinosis had occupied his attention 

 for a number of years ; but this was not the place to dis- 

 cuss the many questions which presented themselves ; 



only one further remark as to the diagnostic value of ex- 

 amining small bits of muscle removed from accessible 

 regions in patients suspected of trichinosis. If the ani- 

 mals were found, of course the evidence was incontrover- 

 tible. But, vice versa, a conclusion could not be ai rived 

 at. This he wished to emphasize, because a contrary 

 opinion was prevalent in some quarters. In the present 

 fatal case of trichinosis, small bits of the deceased 

 woman's muscles were torn from the gastrocnemius and 

 deltoid muscles ; and while some specimens had contain- 

 ed numerous parasites, others had been found without 

 them. In the diaphragm, intercostal muscles, and other 

 well-known places of predilection, every examined speci- 

 men showed abundant parasites. 



Dr. Carpenter's observation at the dead-house of Belle- 

 vue Hospital had been that encysted trichinae were found 

 more frequently in the pectoral muscles or the diaphragm 

 than in the deltoids or the gastrocnemii. 



The President (Dr. T. E. Satterthwaite), remarked that 

 the subject of trichinosis was now of very great interest 

 to the country at large, and we should be anxious to get 

 all the light possible upon it. Though a vast amount of 

 labor had been expended on the origin, clinical history, 

 and treatment of trichinosis, we have good reason to sup- 

 pose it was seldom recognized during life, and even after 

 death would often escape notice, unless the examiner had 

 his attention specially directed toward the possibility of 

 its occurrence. Consequently our present statistics could 

 not be relied upon in forming an opinion as to its pre- 

 valence. One of the points on which we needed more 

 information was the period of incubation. This was var- 

 iously placed at between ten and forty-two days; or, 

 rather, according to our present ideas, it would take ten, 

 but might take forty-two days for the young trichinae to ap- 

 pear in the muscles after the infected meat had been eaten. 



Now, it was just upon this variable period that the 

 dealers relied chiefly when they were prosecuted for 

 selling trichinous meat. As most infected persons are 

 Germans, who are in the habit of eating uncooked meat, 

 more or less continuously, it is generally easy for the 

 accused to show that other hams or sausages were eaten 

 during this period of forty-two days, and as statements 

 are to be found that a limited number of living trichinae 

 have been eaten without harm, it is almost impossible to 

 secure conviction. Dealers therefore do not ask for an 

 examination of hogs or their products, nor are they afraid 

 fo being convicted, even should they sell trichinous meat. 



Now it is particularly important to determine whether 

 or not there is in this variable time between the inges- 

 tions of the animal and the subsequent migration of the 

 larval form, and more experiments should be made on 

 animals to determine it. 



Then another point is important, which is, How fre- 

 quently is trichinosis met with ? In Europe it is said to 

 occur in from one to two per cent, of all cadavers. In 

 this country we have as yet no trustworthy data ; at least 

 this conclusion may be drawn from the recent report of 

 late Assistant-Surgeon Glazier, to the U. S. Marine Ser- 

 vice. Still we know that eight hogs out of a hundred 

 were once found trichinous in Chicago, and though this 

 percentage has been once exceeded in Germany, it is a 

 large one, and invites consideration. 



Especially important was, he thought, the determina- 

 tion whether living trichinae can really be swallowed 

 with impunity, if in small numbers, and, if so, what 

 quantity is necessary for infection ; whether such trichi- 

 nae be the larval or fecundated forms ; and whether 

 emetics or purgatives were not afterward employed to 

 expel them, as in this latter case it is reasonable to sup- 

 pose they might have been removed without harm to the 

 individual. 



The President further remarked that there were now 

 no specially appointed officials who made it their duty to 

 inspect meat, as was formerly done. A diminished ap- 

 propriation led to the suspension of this work. 



