No. 212.
Mr. Sargent to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Berlin , November 5, 1883. (Received November 20.)
Sir: Referring to previous correspondence on the subject of trichinosis, and in particular to my dispatch No. 208, of October 28 last, with which I inclosed the report of Consul Fox on the outbreak of the disease at Ermesleben and other places in the vicinity, I have the honor to communicate in translation an announcement reporting the progress of the disease at those places, which I take from the National Gazette of this city of the 1st instant:
In the last few days two or more persons have died of the trichinosis in the neighboring village of Ermesleben. This makes the number of persons who have died there 30, and in the vicinity 9; altogether 39. Unfortunately 270 persons are still prostrated by the terrible disease, among them several who are severely ill, and whose death is daily expected. As the physicians have recommended as the best diet strong bouillon and wine, many of the sufferers being unable to swallow solid nourishment on account of the swollen condition of their throats, the community continues to cook and provide for all in common. Some 60 pounds of good sound beef are required daily in [Page 402] order to comply with the directions of the physicians. The assistance required from and supplied by the community has thus far amounted to about 900 marks weekly. A writer to the Magdeburg Gazette says that this community, which is not without means, and which enjoys the enviable position of having no local poor to provide for, has for some five weeks and until now been able to carry on unaided this work of love, but that it now needs the assistance of charitable people.
It will be seen from the above that the number of the sufferers, and also the number of deaths from the disease, have increased since the date of the report of Consul Fox, 267 to 270 and from 36 to 39, respectively, while several more fatal terminations are anticipated.
Another outbreak of the trichinosis, though of a far milder character, has occurred at Zechin and neighboring villages situated in the vicinity of Frankfort-on-the-Oder, in Prussia. A Berlin sheet, the Neueste Nautehrichten, of the 25th ultimo, makes the following announcement:
The trichinosis has lately assumed most serious dimensions in spite of all legal and administrative measures. At Zechin, in the circuit Letschin, the disease has appeared m thirty families. In Letschin two persons have been attacked; at Vossberg eight; other persons are reported as attacked at Sydowswiese, Friedrichsan, Golzow, and also in the so-called bush villages (Gericksberg, Lemaunshösel, Bayersberg) and elsewhere. It is hard to say where the outbreak may end, since the supposed diseased meat, worked up into garlic sausages, has been disseminated far and wide. The persons attacked at Zechin assert that they bought and ate about two weeks ago pigs’ flesh from a dealer at that place. This dealer and his son are among the persons attacked.
Within a brief period after the above publication it was reported that the disease at Zechin was of a mild type and that it was believed by the physicians that all the patients would recover; also that the investigation had not disclosed the source of the meat causing the disease, and that no facts had appeared fastening the sale of the diseased meat upon the dealer at Zechin.
I shall carefully watch for any report of results that may be reached in the search for the origin of this outbreak, and cause an investigation to be made on the spot, if the expenditure seems warranted, and report thereon. In the mean time it would seem safe to assume that the blame cannot attach to American pork so long after prohibition of its importation into the country.
I have, &c.,