THE ELECTROMYOGRAM IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF TRICHINOSIS.

Abstract

THE ETIOLOGICAL agent of trichinosis, Trichinella spiralis , was first discovered in the encysted larval stage in the muscles of patients who were autopsied in London by Peacock in 1828. Virchow in 1859 to 1860 showed that when the cysts found in hogs' flesh were fed to host animals, they would grow to adults in a few days, and that females in the duodenal wall produced living young which migrated to muscles and later encysted. In 1869, Zenker demonstrated that hypereosinophilia was highly suggestive of trichinosis. During the latter part of the 19th century and the early part of the present century, the disease was recognized as an important public health problem. Within the past several years, it has again had special consideration by health authorities, physicians, and medical parasitologists, particularly in the United States, where repeated epidemics and a few deaths have occurred in the groups who have eaten trichinous