TRICHINAE. 
229 
tlio percentage of deaths, while they are but seldom the subject 
of trichinosis during this period, and the disease takes 
a peculiarly favorable course with them. Further, the diar¬ 
rhoea of cholera is much more profuse, sometimes occur¬ 
ring twenty times in twenty-four hours, while in trich¬ 
inosis it is not nearly so frequent, and is always more 
consistent, and in cholera the foecal discharges are at first thick, 
then like rice water, odorless, alcoholic, seldom neutral, and of 
a low specific gravity. Vomiting results easier in cholera 
and in greater quantities. Phenomena indicative of the conden¬ 
sation of the blood, emaciation, coolness of the skin and ex¬ 
pired air, the spasms of the muscles of the calves of the legs. &c.. 
all fail in trichinosis. Although emaciation also follows in the 
latter disease, it takes place much slower than in cholera. Secre¬ 
tion of urine either completely ceases in cholera, or but little is 
secreted, having also a high specific gravity and containing albu¬ 
men or sugar. 
Similar phenomena may be presented in gastro-enteritis due 
to poisoning. The differential diagnosis will, however, be fre¬ 
quently aided by the discovery of the poison in the vomited ma¬ 
terials, or in the intestinal contents, aside from the specific phe¬ 
nomena which often characterize the action of many kinds of 
poison. 
Endemic cholera also attacks children especially. The stools 
are characterized by loose coagula, or by their frothy, yeast-like 
nature, acid reaction, richness in albumen, lumpy character and 
offensive smell. Notwithstanding the profusion of the discharge 
one finds, on abdominal percussion, quantities of fluid in the in¬ 
testines, which is not met with in trichinosis. Although the phe¬ 
nomena of the endemic may have a strong resemblance to those 
of the epidemic variety, still they are not to be easily compli¬ 
cated with those of the latter form, or of trichinosis. The chol- 
eroid form of the latter disease always indicates the consumption 
of trichinous meat, which must have taken place within the pre¬ 
ceding 10 or 14 days, as well as a plentiful infection of the pork 
consumed. If we assume the weight of an ordinary microscopic pre¬ 
paration of trichinosis meat to be 0,02 grins (one-third of a grain) 
