Diseased Pork—More Loss of Life.
THE TRICHINE excitement has died out—not so the trichinæ. Victims continue to be reported. Miss Lida Jordan, of Maine, Iowa, recently died of trichiniasis, having eaten of diseased pork last spring. On post-mortem examination, her flesh was found to be filled with the worms. “Hog Cholera” (as the disease is called in the animal) is raging throughout Illinois and northern Kentucky, and defying all remedies. A western carcass apparently healthy and unusually fat, was examined in Oswego, a few days since, revealing millions of trichinæ in a mouthful (!) of fat, varying from atoms scarcely perceptible to worms two inches long. The Palladium describes them as of a greenish yellow color, resembling in shape a needle pointed at both ends. The practice of allowing swine to feed upon the flesh, offal and excrement of animals, is the source of the disease. The trichina egg never develops to a harmful stage while passing naturally through the intestines. It must be eaten, and thus harbored and nourished the second time, in order to reach its boring and destructive stage of growth. It is a penalty of confederate greed and filthiness in swine and their owners.—Scientific American. Five Persons at Crab Orchard, Kentucky, Killed by Eating Diseased Pork.—
One of the most prominent and highly-respected farmers, living in the vicinity of Crab Orchard, whose name we could not, unfortunately, procure, killed for family use a few choice porkers from a drove of hogs that he raised, and sent to a few neighboring families a few splendid hams as presents. Nearly every family to which the pork had been sent partook of what they supposed were savory and delicious morsels. Early in the following day, the members of the several families were taken violently ill, with all the symptoms of cholera. The best medical skill was immediately procured, and every exertion made to relieve the sufferers. The patients suffered, we are told, intensely, and by night five of the number had died. The wife of the owner of the hogs had died, and there are no hopes of his recovery. Several others lie in a very critical condition, and are not likely to survive. The same day on which the families were attacked, the remainder of the drove of hogs were seized with some strange disease, having something of the character of hog cholera, and nearly all have died. The occurrence has caused great excitement in that section of the State, and is likely to extend its influence to others.—Louisville Journal.