Danger of eating raw ham.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1707, 13 May 1886, Page 3

Danger of eating raw ham.

" If you want to die ,a horrible death eat raw bam," remarked the venerable scientist, Mr. Thomas O. Finnell, just a* he placed a pßrticle of the remains of Miss Emma Weitzel, of No. 215, WoOßter-streec,New York, who died at Trinity Hospital, under a powerful microscope m the back j parlour of liis house m West Houstonstreet. The specimen which Dr. Rnnell was examing had been cut from the pectoral muscle of the yonng woman much against the wish of her relataives, by Deputy Coroner Donliri, and was found to be alive with the parasite trichinae. Dr. Donlin, assisted by his hiother, Thomas and Dr. Finnel, anil his two sons, made, during the afternoon an autopsy on Miss "Weitzell's body, and found that her: d?ath was due to bypostetic pnnempnia. The piece of muscle which had been, taken from the body was microscopically examined and th* specimens secured were carefully mounted for future referencs and limelight illustration. .From the; fivst hit of muscle placed under the magnifying glass, a fully developed worm was taken. The parasite, which i* known to science as triclrina spiralis, was alive and squirming when placed on the plate. It was •risible ito the naked eye, and was spiral jn. form,. with a long ronnded body, sharp at the head and a trifle broader at the tail. The worm which is viviparous when seen through the microscope resembles hair, and wamn^ three sections. It possessed no organs,, but an alimentary casal ran the entire .length -of the body; The second worm mounted was dead. It was .injected with a reddish fluid and looked hideons. The piece of muscle which bad been cat out of Miss .Weitzel's kieasfc was believed to contain h undreds of parasite?.