The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

16 The Health Bulletin July, 1951reported to date, but headache, generaldiscomfort, sudden unexplained loss ofweight and loss of appetite would besignificant symptoms. It further waspointed out that in chronic poisoningthere may be a latent period of severalweeks between the last exposure andthe development of symptoms.It was advised that if the skin hasbeen contaminated with the chemicals,the area should be washed thoroughlywith soap and water. Contaminatedclothing should be removed immediatelyand washed thoroughly.At present there is no universal acceptedmethod of treatment for thistype of poisoning. Treatment dependsto some extent on the symptoms andcould include barbiturate therapy, dextrose,amino acids and oxygen.REPORT SHOWS THOROUGHCOOKING OF PORK CUTSDOWN ON DISEASEThorough cooking of fresh pork canhelp to reduce materially the incidenceof trichinosis, an infection from diseasedpork, it was shown in a reportmade public today by Dr. Rodney R.Beard of San Francisco.Dr. Beard, writing in the Journal ofthe American Medical Association, creditedthat as one of the factors in anapparent two-thirds reduction in theincidence of trichinosis in San Franciscosince 1936.Trichinosis is caused by Trichinellaspiralis worms which sometimes arefound in pork. The worms lay eggs inthe human intestinal tract. The embryoswork their way into muscles,especially the diaphragm, where theydevelop. Diarrhea, navisea, colic andfever are the usual early symptoms ofthe disease, followed later by stiffness,pain, swelling of the muscles, fever,sweating and insomnia. The seriousnessof the infection depends on thedegree to which the pork has beeninfected. Severe infections may causedeath.Dr. Beard cited a 1936 study in SanFrancisco of a random sampling of 200human diaphragms taken at autopsy.Trichinosis worms were found in 24per cent of the organs. A more recentstudy of 161 diaphragms, also a randomsampling, showed only 8 per centwere infected—a decrease of two thirds.Three factors were listed by Dr.Beard as possible agents responsiblefor the decrease.He first pointed out that federal,state and local regulations now assureadequate processing of pork productsintended to be eaten without cooking.In San Francisco, for example, stringentlyenforced rules by the local Departmentof Public Health provide foradequate salting and drying of Italianstyle salami, an uncooked product, orpossible prior killing of trichinae byfreezing.Another factor he mentioned was thereduction in the proportion of porkfrom garbage-fed hogs. Wartime scarcityof labor, difficulties of transportationand other factors, he explained,made feeding garbage to hogs unprofitableand many local establishments ofthis kind went out of business. Hecited a Department of Agriculture reportshowing widespread reduction ofinfections in hogs. From 1934 to 1939the infection rate was 3.32 per centas compared with the 0.81 per cent ina recent study.AM.A. COUNCIL SAYSALUMINUM UTENSILS NOTINJURIOUS TO HEALTHThe use of aluminum cooking utensilsin no way is injurious to health,according to a statement issued by theCouncil on Foods and Nutrition of theAmerican Medical Association.The position of the council was madeknown as a result of periodical rumorsthat foods cooked in such utensils affecthealth because of injurious substancesimparted by the vessel, accordingto Dr. James R. Wilson of Chicago,secretary of the council.The driver who doesn't mind beingpassedWill still be PRESENT when passersare PAST!