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Review and Herald, Vol. 45, No. 1.

THE MILLENNIUM

Review and Herald

Jan 1, 1875

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 1, 1875

THE MILLENNIUM

By James White

The word millennium signifies a thousand years. The popular view of what is called the temporal millennium is that the gospel of Jesus Christ will yet so far control the minds and hearts of men that the whole world will be converted, and become holy by its influence, and that this happy state will continue one thousand years; and that during this time Christ will reign with his people spiritually, and that at the close of the millennium he will come the second time when the judgment will take place.
But a careful examination is sufficient to fully convince the intelligent student that the sacred Scriptures do not teach that at any period of time all men will be converted to God. There were but few righteous men from Adam to Moses. And the numbers of the just in the Jewish age, compared with the multitudes of the unbelieving, were very small. Neither does God’s plan in the Christian age embrace the conversion of all men. The gospel is preached to all nations, and thus God visits “the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.” Acts 15:14. Among the finally saved will not be found all of any one generation; or all of any one nation; but some out of every age and every tongue will join in the song to the Lamb: “Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” Rev. 5:9.
From the very nature of the case the conversion of the world is an impossibility. God is the same during all time. He deals with men and nations impartially. The devil is the same, excepting that the experience of six thousand years has made him more artful in seducing men and women into sin. The fallen race is the same, only that each succeeding generation degenerates physically, mentally, and morally, till the world becomes fully ripe for her final doom. This is seen in the metallic image of Dan. 2. Here five universal kingdoms are the subject of prophecy. Four of these pertain to the mortal state, one to the immortal. The four earthly monarchies , Babylon, Persia, Grecia, and Rome, are severally represented by gold, silver, brass and iron. We not only see in the symbol the depreciation of value from gold to silver, to brass and to iron, but the last divided condition of earthly governments, just before the opening glories of the immortal kingdom, is represented by iron mixed with miry clay.
God’s plan to convert sinners, and to save all who would obey him and believe in Jesus, has been in operation about six thousand years. A crucified and risen Jesus has been preached with the Holy Spirit sent down from Heaven for more than eighteen centuries; yet the world has not been converted. And the prospect of its conversion to Bible holiness never looked darker than at the present time. In the forcible words of another we would inquire:—
“And what are the present prospects of a church that has set out in all confidence to convert the world? How may those now putting on the harness boast of greater expected success than is warranted by the experience of those who have put it off after having fought the good fight? The prophets could not convert the world; are we mightier than they? The apostles could not convert the world; are we stronger than they? The martyrs could not convert the world; can we do more than they? The church for eighteen hundred years could not convert the world; can we do it? They have preached the gospel of Christ; so can we. They have gone to earth’s remotest bounds; so can we. They have saved ‘some;’ so can we. They have wept as so few believed their report; so can we.”
“Has God a mightier Saviour—a more powerful Spirit? Has he another gospel which will save the world? Where is it? Is there any way to the kingdom other than that which leads through much tribulation? Is there another way to the crown besides the way of crosses? Can we reign with him unless we first suffer in his cause?”
The doctrine of the world’s conversion, and a temporal millennium, being based upon false interpretations, and incorrect quotations of certain portions of the sacred Scriptures, it is proper that we should here notice those texts usually quoted to prove this doctrine, and show that they do not mean what they are said to prove:—
1. “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” Ps. 2:8. As sufficient evidence that this text does not prove the conversion of the world, we quote the verse following it: “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
2. The stone cut out of the mountain without hands, shall roll until it becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth. All the proof for the world’s conversion found in the above is in quoting the text wrong. Here is the text as it reads: “Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them; and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” Dan. 2:34, 35.
In this remarkable passage, the following points are worthy of notice: (1) The stone smote the image upon his feet, and brake the iron, clay, brass, silver, and gold, to pieces together. Here is destruction, not conversion. (2) They became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors, and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them. Here is illustrated the removal of all earthly governments. (3) Then the stone became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. In this prophecy, the stone has nothing in common with the image. The image, a symbol of earthly governments, and all wicked men, are first removed, and then the stone fills the whole earth. But if it be urged that the dashing of the heathen (Ps. 2:9) and the breaking of the image (Dan. 2:34) mean the conversion of the world, then Paul’s words: “The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly,” mean the conversion of Satan.
3. A nation shall be born in a day. Here is another incorrect quotation. Isa. 66:8 reads: “Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.” This text has no allusion to the conversion of sinners, but evidently refers to the resurrection of the just.
4. “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.” But let it be borne in mind that this is under the third woe, when it is also said, “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” Rev. 11:15, 18.
5. “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matt. 24:14. Those who teach the world’s conversion would have the gospel preached to all nations, every individual hear it, believe it, obey it, and all become holy by it. What then? The end? No, not until the world has enjoyed a sinless period of one thousand years. But the text does not say that every individual will even hear this gospel of the kingdom. It does not state that any one will be converted and made holy by it. And we find it far from intimated that the world would be converted and remain so a thousand years.
6. “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” Micah 4:3. See also Isa. 2:4. The reader will please notice that Micah 4:1 speaks of the exalted state of the professed church of Christ in the last days. Mountains mean earthly governments. The church, here represented by “the mountain of the Lord’s house,” was to be exalted above the hills. It was to be established in the top of the mountains.
In verses 2–5 is a statement, not of what the Lord declares would take place in the last days, but what the multitudes of popular professors, who are looking for the conversion of the world, would say. The statement commences thus: “And many nations shall come, and say.” Verse 2. But the Lord speaks in verses 6 and 7, as follows: “In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted.” “In that day” when “many nations” are prophesying of peace and safety, the Lord’s remnant people are driven out and afflicted. But we have more and very decisive testimony in regard to the state of the nations in the last days by the prophet Joel. This subject may appear still more clear and forcible by arranging what many nations say, and what the Lord says, side by side in the following manner:—

MANY NATIONS SAY.

And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Micah 4:2, 3.

THE LORD SAYS.

Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: beat your ploughshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Joel 3:9–12.
7. “They shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them.” Jer. 31:34. This is in the promise of the new covenant, and relates, first, to the condition of each individual with whom the new covenant is made; and secondly to the fullness of the blessings of the gospel when all are brought into harmony with God in the everlasting state. Both ideas are embraced in the promise. But that every individual will be converted, or that all of any generation this side of the immortal state will be converted and come to the knowledge of God, the Scriptures do not teach.
8. The glory of the Lord shall fill the earth, as the waters cover the sea. “But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.” Num. 14:21. “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” Isa. 11:9. “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” Hab. 2:14. “Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.” Matt. 5:5. This glorious state, however, is not brought about by the conversion of all men. It is introduced by the destruction of sinful men, the restitution of the earth to its condition as it came from the hand of the Creator, and the gift of immortality to the meek of all ages. “For evil-doers shall be cut off; but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be; yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Ps. 37:9–11.
9. “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. . . . The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock; and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.” See Isa. 65:17–25; also chap. 11:6–9.
This prophecy is said to be a figurative description of the condition of things during the temporal millennium. We, however, regard it as a prophetic description of the state of things after the restitution of the earth and man to their primeval glory. Before the fall, man was upright, and the earth and all the living creatures, that God had created upon it, as viewed by the Creator, were seen to be “very good.” Gen. 1:31. The Scriptures do not teach the annihilation of all things by the fires of the great day, and the creation of all new things for the future state. But they do distinctly teach the restitution of all things. Thus saith the great Restorer: “Behold, I make all things new.” Rev. 21:5. Isaiah and the Revelator both speak of the new heavens and the new earth. The prophet Isaiah is either giving a figurative description of a very happy condition of things in this mortal state, or he is portraying the literal glories of the restitution after the second advent and the resurrection of the just. To the figurative view we find serious objections:—
(1) Our temporal-millennium friends, in order that all parts of their figurative theory may harmonize, must have in their figurative new heavens and earth, figurative houses, figurative vineyards, and they must eat the figurative fruit thereof, and behold around them figurative wolves, and figurative lions, feeding with figurative lambs and figurative bullocks, to say nothing of the presence of figurative serpents. If it be said that the gospel is to convert all these wolves, and lions, and serpents, we reply that if they are converted, they are no longer wolves, and lions, and serpents, and during the entire period of the millennium there will be none but figurative lambs and doves.
(2) The apostle has so clearly identified the three worlds, namely, the one before the flood, the one that now is, and the new earth which is to come, as to entirely preclude the figurative view. He says: “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water; whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished; but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” “Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” 2 Pet. 3:5–7, 13.
No fact can be more plainly stated than that the world that perished by the flood is the same as that which now is, and is reserved unto fire. This is to be changed by fire, and then will appear the new heavens and the new earth, according to the promise of God. And it is a remarkable fact that the promise referred to by the apostle is found only in Isa. 65. Thus the apostle links the three worlds together. Are the first two worlds literal? So is the third. Is the new earth mentioned by Isaiah figurative? So are all three worlds figurative. But if they are all literal, then we see a harmony in Scripture respecting them. If they be regarded as figurative, then we are left to the following conclusion:—
That in the days of figurative Noah, the figurative heavens and earth, being overflowed with figurative water, perished figuratively. But the figurative heavens and earth, which are now, are reserved unto figurative fire, against the figurative day of judgment and perdition of ungodly figurative men. Nevertheless, we, according to his figurative promise, look for figurative new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth figurative righteousness.
True, the sacred writers use figures and parables. But we should believe that God in his word means just what he says, unless the connection shows good reasons why a figure or parable is introduced. If God does not mean what he says, in his word, who will tell us what he does mean? In case that God does not mean what he says, the Bible ceases to be a revelation, and he should give us another book to teach what this one means. But the Bible is the very book in which God has plainly spoken to the children of men.
With this view of the sacred Scriptures, we see spread out before us the living realities of the new earth, in all their grandeur and glory, as when Adam was lord of Eden. Before the transgression, all was purity and peace, even among the beasts which God had created. And who can say that these, with natures such as the Creator first gave them, will not be in place in the earth restored from the fall, as well as in the earth before the fall?
J. W.

COUNT THE BLESSINGS.

Number up the blessings; nay, thou canst not count, Scarcely might the sand-grains equal their amount; Tell them to the sea waves breaking on the shore Till thy tongue is weary; yet thou knowest more.
Number up the blessings; God doth drop them fast, Blessings in the present, blessings in the past; “New with every morning, fresh with every night;” Never doth the Father lose the child from sight.
Ever smile upon him. If thou canst not see, “’Tis the cloud thou makest, comes ’twixt him and thee; “’Tis the screen thou raisest shuts the sun away, If thou count the blessings, full will be each day,
Griefs shall not appall thee, do not leave them out, When thou countest blessings — ’twere unworthy doubts. ’Neath the darksome mantle, shines the white robe fair, Learn to know the angel whatever garb he wear.
Number up the blessings, and remember God Never o’er the whole world spreads the night abroad; Gone from out thy vision, not struck from the skies, Shall the sun return again, though to day he dies.
Number up the blessings, ever look for light, Once find “silver lining,” all the cloud grows bright.
Number up thy blessings, count with thankful prayer Ah! ’twere worship ceaseless, thus to own his care. —Sel.

Bible Hygiene.

By James White

The eccentric Lorenzo Dow once said that prejudice was like a cork in a bottle, which would not let anything out of the bottle, neither would it let anything into it. So blind prejudice will blockade the mind, and not allow errors to pass out, nor the plainest truths to enter in. What shall be done? Shall we say to the people, “Give up your prejudices”? This is asking too much. But few could do this should they try. In fact, they have a right to their prejudices if held subordinate to reason.
A sane condition of the mind is one in which passion and prejudice are controlled by reason. And just so far as reason is controlled by prejudice, passion, and appetite, just so far are men and women insane. There are but few perfectly sane persons in our day. We do not ask men to surrender their prejudices; but in the name of reason and religion, we do invite Christians to so far waive their prejudices as to be qualified to weigh evidence in the scales of reason and justice.
With a large portion of the people, the Bible is the highest and safest authority in all matters of truth and duty. Prove to Christian men and women, who fear God and tremble at his word, that existing reformatory movements are in strict harmony with the teachings of the sacred Scriptures, and they will no longer regard the subject as unworthy of their notice. But the very general impression that the restrictions of the hygienic practice are not sustained by the word of God, has placed many sincere Christians where it is difficult to reach them with the subject. But those who revere God and his holy word can be reached with the plain declarations of the scriptures of the Old and the New Testament. We promise to make it appear that the Bible does not justify Christians in many of the common and fashionable habits of our time, which sustain a close relation to life and health, but that it does demand of them changes from these wrong habits. If we succeed in doing this, it will be considered, by all Bible Christians, that it is highly proper that the attention of the Christian public should be called to the subject from the Bible stand-point.
And when we come to the matter of experience, the cause of health reform has difficulties to overcome. But these are generally the result of ignorance of the real facts in the case.
As an illustration, the objector will sometimes point to feeble persons, who may be advocates of reform in habits of life, as representing the results of changing from common habits. In this they do our cause great injustice, as ninety-nine in one hundred of these persons, in consequence of wrong habits of life, became incurable invalids before they adopted the reform. Had they continued violating the laws of life and health, they would long since have been in their graves. And the reason why there is a considerable number of this class, is, first, because but very few persons feel the necessity of change until they have lost vitality that they never can recover; and, secondly, because the temperate habits of the reform are so in harmony with natural law that these invalids who adopt them linger upon the mortal shore nearly a lifetime. Hence, to point to these as representatives of the health reform is doing the cause we advocate great injustice.
These feeble persons had made themselves hopelessly such by wrong habits of life, and then, in accordance with popular custom, they submitted themselves to the poisonous processes of drug-taking, and when the last ray of hope of recovery in that direction was gone, and they were ready to drop into the grave, they were induced to adopt hygienic habits, the beneficial effects of which are prolonging their existence in a condition of comparative freedom from pain, and the enjoyment of a good degree of happiness. In view of the real facts in the case we point to these very persons as showing the value of the reform.
But we are happy to state that there are thousands of men and women within our personal knowledge, who, in comfortable health, adopted the principles of Christian temperance, and are now reaping the beneficial results. These have abandoned tobacco, tea, coffee, drugs, flesh-meats, and the third meal, and now, without a dissenting voice, report greatly improved health. Most of these are hard-working people, and report that they can do more work, and with far greater ease, than before they made these changes.
Now, in order to put this matter fairly to the test, we invite the objector to point to a single person who adopted these changes in the strength of manhood or womanhood, and who has run down in strength and health, and become feeble, while pursuing in all respects a temperate and consistent course. Here let the matter be fairly tested. When one such person can be found, then we will examine the matter more closely.
The world is moving. The spirit of investigation is out. The old foundations of error and superstition are being broken up. Let the world march along, notwithstanding it may not travel just as we may have marked out. We need not say that he who would stop the wheels of reform because they do not exactly track his hand cart is a bigot. This spirit was ruling, and ruining the influence of the disciples of Christ, until the Master taught them better. One of them said, “Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbade him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not; for he that is not against us is for us.”
While we would be true to the pure principles of health reform, and would ever hold them before the people as important, both to this life, and to that which is to come, we hope to be so far liberal in our views and feelings as to give those who are reforming credit for what changes they are making, and sustain such friendly relations to them as to cheer them on in the good work.
A quarter of a century since, in the ardor and inexperience of younger days, we sometimes detected in our efforts in dealing with minds an inclination to the old mental cramming system. We mean, by this, simply the barbarous practice of crowding our theories and views upon minds, that may be as independent as our own, in a style to impress sensible people with the idea that we are narrow and overbearing. This course raises the combativeness of men of taste and good sense, and prejudices the very persons who, otherwise, might be reached, and might become ornaments to any reformatory movement. This course will gather minds, many of whom may unfortunately be of the same stamp of their teachers, or of that lower grade that will be quite as well pleased with the plan of mental stuffing as to take the trouble of thinking and deciding for themselves.
The mind of every true convert must travel over every foot of ground on the highway of reformation, until it shall reach the very summit of reform. It is our duty as reformers to deal in principles, in the spirit of true Christian courtesy; or, at least, with the spirit of real philanthropy. We can let the true light shine out to the world by precept and by example. This, well done, our duty is done. Let the world move on. J. W.

Dangers of Pork-Eating Exposed.

By John Harvey Kellogg

THE TERRIBLE TRICHINÆ.

Now, my friend, assist your eyesight by a good microscope and you will be convinced that you have only just caught a glimpse of the enormous filthiness, the inherent badness, and intrinsic ugliness of this loathsome animal. Take a thin slice of the lean flesh, place it upon the stage of your microscope, adjust the eye-piece, and look. If you are fortunate, you will find displayed before your eyes hundreds of voracious little animals, each coiled up in its little cell, waiting for an opportunity to escape from its prison walls and begin its destined work of devastation. A gentleman of eminence in Louisville has made very extensive researches upon the subject, and asserts that in at least one hog out of every ten these creatures may be found.
A few weeks ago we obtained a small portion of the flesh of an individual that had died with trichinæ. Upon subjecting it to a careful microscopical examination with a good instrument, we discovered multitudes of the worms. Each individual presented the appearance represented in the accompanying accurate engraving, which we have published before, but reproduce for the sake of our new subscribers. The animal is here seen inclosed in a little cyst, or sack.
Being curious to know, approximately, how numerous were the worms in the specimen we were examining, we prepared a small portion about the size of a kernel of wheat in a suitable manner. By careful count, we found upwards of 500; and in a large portion of the specimen they lay so thickly together that it was impossible to isolate them. None but solitary individuals were included; and hence it is fairly presumed that the specimen really contained double the number actually counted. A little computation will show that the flesh of the individual furnishing the specimen must have contained from 250,000 to 500,000 trichinæ in every cubic inch of muscle.

HOW TRICHINÆ KILL.

When taken into the stomach, the trichina is invested by a capsule like the one seen in the engraving, a portion of which has been cut away to show the worm more clearly. This fibrous capsule is very soon dissolved away by the gastric juice, thus setting at liberty the partially matured worm, which grows very rapidly, attaining its full size in about two days, being then many times larger than when first taken into the stomach, when its length is only about one twenty-fifth of an inch. In about a week each worm gives birth to about 1000 young, according to Leuckart, which immediately begin to penetrate the mucous lining of the stomach and intestines. This gives rise to violent purging and vomiting, but to little effect for the relief of the patient, for the worms are already secure in the walls of the intestines. In a very short time they find their way into all the muscles of the body, when the most painful symptoms occur. The patient lingers along for a few days, perhaps weeks, in the most distressing suffering, finally dying from exhaustion, or from suffocation caused by the great number of parasites infesting the muscles of respiration and thus preventing their action.
In less than two weeks after eating an ounce of infected meat a person might have in his intestines hundreds of millions of these rapacious animals, whose ravages no remedy can stay. Imagine, reader, the agony which a person must suffer while this numberless horde of microscopic serpents are boring through the walls of his alimentary canal! The rapidity with which the body becomes filled with these loathsome creatures is most astonishing. Prof. Dalton found 208,000 to the cubic inch in the muscles of a boy who died on the twentieth day after being attacked with the disease. When a person has been once poisoned, he can never become free from the parasite. Death is his most probable end; but some survive after many months of suffering worse than death. In these cases the worm becomes inclosed in a calcareous sheath, which process takes place in from one to two years. Here they may live for an indefinite period, probably as long as the patient. Virchow mentions a case in which they were found alive in a cancer removed from a woman twenty-four years after they were received into her system.
While writing this article, we have before us a portion of muscle which we removed in an autopsical examination from the deltoid muscle of a woman who died in New York City a few days ago. Upon carefully inspecting it with the naked eye, numerous little white dots may be seen in the small fibers of the muscle. Upon examination with a microscope, these minute white bodies are found to be opaque, like a fine particle from a broken egg shell; but by adding dilute hydrochloric acid, the calcareous salts are dissolved and we are enabled to distinguish a veritable trichina, looking as well developed and vigorous as those found in the preceding specimen, already described, although they have doubtless existed for several years in their present state. Just how long we cannot state, having not yet been able to obtain the previous history of the case.

ITS PREVALENCE IN SWINE.

The trichina is found in cats, rats, mice, and various other animals, as well as in the hog, and it is probable that they are introduced into the latter by eating the dead bodies of the first-mentioned animals. It seems to be the general belief that the disease is of rare occurrence in hogs, and need excite no apprehension. Various facts disprove this supposition, however. It should be remembered that the flesh of an infected animal may be apparently healthy to the unassisted eye, for the trichinæ are microscopic objects, often being no more than one seventy-third of an inch in length, and one nine hundred and sixtieth of an inch in transverse diameter. Careful observations have been conducted by scientific men to ascertain the frequency of the disease by examination of the dead carcasses sent to market. A committee of the Chicago Academy of Sciences reported in the Medical News and Library for June, 1866, that in 1394 hogs examined in different packing houses and butcher shops of the city, they found an average of one in fifty affected with trichinæ. A gentleman of Louisville reported, as the result of extensive observations, that he found an average of one trichinous hog in every ten examined.
It was a current newspaper report that during the winter of 1873-4 between 10,000 and 15,000 hogs died of the disease in a single locality in Illinois. This report has since been disputed, it being alleged that the disease was hog cholera, instead of trichina poisoning, or trichinosis. This is merely crafty effort at deception on the part of the pork dealers; for we have good authority for believing that hog cholera and trichinosis are two names for a single disease. The first effects of trichinæ are very similar to the effects of cholera, and might easily be mistaken for it in man or beast, as both are affected in a similar manner.

FREQUENCY OF THE DISEASE IN MAN.

Until recently, there has been no conception of the frequency of this disease. It is now positively known that many cases of supposed typhoid fever are really the results of trichinæ poisoning. Prof. Janeway, Demonstrator of Anatomy at Bellevue Hospital, recently assured me that observations in the dissecting room had convinced him that thedisease was of great frequency, not being discovered until revealed by post-mortem examination, the patient being treated for some other supposed affection. He found three cases thus affected in the short space of one month; and it is probable that the majority go undetected.
Trichinosis may simulate numerous diseases. In the first stages it would readily be mistaken for diarrhea, dysentery, or peritonitis. The later stages as closely resemble rheumatism and typhoid fever. The patient often dies in coma, the cause of which would be likely to be attributed to almost any cause but the real one.
Many unmistakable cases of the disease have occurred within the last ten years since public attention has been called to it. I recently conversed with a physician who last winter attended eight cases of the disease in a single family in Malcolm, Iowa. Several members of the family died in a few weeks. The remainder of the family survived, but only to continue suffering. None of them have regained their health.
In Helstadt, Prussia, one hundred and three persons were poisoned by eating sausage at a public dinner. A large number of them died in a short time, twenty within a month.
In Germany, three hundred and sixty persons were attacked with the disease at one time. Large numbers of them perished miserably. Those who survived were doomed to carry about in their flesh, during the remainder of their miserable life, myriads of loathsome worms.—J. H. K., in The Health Reformer.
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