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109
malady, produced in man by eating the raw or insufficiently
cooked flesh of swine in which the disease exists. The disease is
most common in America, and is known as swine fever or hog
cholera. It consists essentially in the presence of innumerable
parasitic worms rolled up in microscopic balls in the muscles, and
presenting the appearance of minute specks in the line of muscular
fibres—the parasite being known as trichina spiralis. There was
considerable alarm in the early part of the current year owing to
the alleged excessive prevalence of the disease in American pigs,
and consequently in American pork and bacon—for the preparation
of pig meat as ham, bacon, pork, &c., does not kill the
parasite, nothing short of thorough cooking being effectual for this
purpose. The disease is more common in Germany than elsewhere,
consequent on the habit of the people of eating raw meat in
the form of ham, sausages, &c. The French Government forbade
the importation of American bacon, pork, &c., on the ground
that some cases of trichinosis had occurred, and that it was
impossible to examine with the microscope all parcels of imported
meat. The Local Government Board in this country issued a
circular letter to Health Authorities (and your Vestry among the
number,) calling their attention to this question, and urging that
the Medical Officers of Health and the Sanitary Inspectors should
use special vigilance in carrying out their inspection in relation to
the descriptions of meat referred to ; and the Medical Officer of
the Board (Dr. Geo. Buchanan) prepared an interesting memorandum
on the subject, to go with the circular letter. It may be
satisfactory to state that Dr. W. Sedgwick Saunders, the Medical
Officer of Health of the City of London, who has unequalled
opportunities of investigation in the Smithfield Dead Meat Market,
reported to the Commissioners of Sewers that he had examined
numerous samples of meat, specially selecting those that, from
their appearance, poorness, &c., seemed most likely to be infested,
without in any case discovering the parasite. The Local Government
Board, it should be added, expressly stated that they had no
information of the existence of the disease in Great Britain ; but
while trusting that the prevalence was not to be apprehended,
they did but exercise a judicious prudence in recommending
special precautions to be taken in regard to the matter, and
particularly where foreign pork and bacon were concerned. I