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ilMAL PARASITES.
ey Cause an Annual Loss of
Millions to Farmers.
portant Investigation by the
Department of Agriculture.
recent discovery to the effect that
tricljin» of pork, which caused
American hog to be shut i ut of
■ope so long, are from rats has
M new impetus to the pursuit of a
of investigation which has becu
m j n g the attention of the U.iited
lies Government. Dr. Leuckhart,
i;reat Leipsic professor, who made
discovery, ascertained by the dis-
tiou of rat3 that 40 per cent of
in were infected by trichinae. Ra*s
cannibals. They cat their own
piing aud each oilier, and spread
infection. Whether tiiey ever die
trichinosis is not known, although
Hikes them lame sometimes. Pigs
our them aud contract the coin-
nt. Human beings in their turn
the pigs and the trichinae develop,
i fntai results frequently. The
Lse is reckoned the most deadly
tvn, inasmuch as it kills in 60 per
I. of ail cases. Among the animals
Iked by it are cats, dogs, horses,
Is aud rabbits, although how they
Itho parasites is uncertain.
Ilie Department of Agriculture is
■resent giving earnest attention to
Ltudy of animal parasites, with a
hr of finding out methods for
king against some of them which
Be a Jos8 of many millions of dol-
ycariy to farmers. It has made a
discovery recently in relation to the
,1 disease of cattle called Texas
ir, which is caused by a minute
nal called a protozoon, that feed
lie red corpuscles iu the blood and
roys them. Recent developments
nowledge reveal tho protozoa as
lucers of morbid complaints. It
been ascertained that the cause of
fnia is a protozoon which feeds on
blood corpuscles and another mic-
ppic foe of like description is re-
Istble for certain forms of dy*ou-
| bow Undoubtedly many disorders
understood will eventually be
lied to a similar origin.
|e Is department is trying to discover
for combatting another para.
Irhicli causes a loss of nearly $3
POO a year in catilo slaughtered in
pgo. It is the dreaded heel fly,
!i lays its eggs on the backs of
Inimals, the worms hatched ftom
k boring through the skin and re-
ling buried for several months in
lesh. On emerging they fall to
■round and form the chrysalis con¬
i’, come out as perfec, flies, ready
ly their eggs on the backs of other
(e, that being their only method of
oduction. If a hide at the market
more than live holes made by the
ms it is rated as of second quality,
the meat soils for one cent Jess a
id in gross.
nother insect, known in the West
»e gadfly, attack^ horses, laying
;ggs on the animals. The horse
b itself and conveys the eggs to
itomach, where they are hatched,
Worms clinging to the stomach
s. Very often they bore through
stomach and kill the horse. A
Uitic worm known as the liver
p attaches itself during a certain
k of its being to the liver and lungs
pttle. During its early growth it
| kmorphoses, through a series of astonishing
developing a new
I inside of its old self in a differ-
Ishapo several times. Finally it
p8 the body of the beast, and what
Imes of it is not known precisely;
fhere j s no doubt that it is traus-
led into a species of snail that
I in wet places. It certainly must
Its eggs in such spots, where the
| pycle e lick them up, thus completing
of its being.
Inly a beginning has been made by
I Government in the work of fight-
|the parasites of animals. By al-
i condemning the pig* which are
ted with trichinae the disease will
lendered less common. Heel flies
11 gadflies are combatted 6uccess-
* destroyed by spreading tar
r^nt over the bodies of tho beasts
r ’’'A In it* labors the Bureau of
| pSriculture lna | industry of the Department
devotes its attention
M° itadyiug the life historj of
parasite, iu order to find out at
^ *ta»e of its existence ths
•n«mv
can be attacked to the best advantage.
Having procured a full knowledge of
the Habits and manner of existence of
the adversary, it is comparatively easy
to interfere with its operations.—[Xew
York Sun.
Complication of Influenza.
The grippe or influenza itself is not
particularly dangerous, according to a
writer in the London Lancet, but ils
complications arc serious, and its sc-
quels are of a peculiarly low and de¬
pressing type. The attack is common-
ly very sudden. The first symptoms
are a chill, nausea, and a feeling of
general illness, followed quickly by a
severe and persistent headache, break-
bone pains in the limbs and tiuuk, and
great prostration.
A violent paroxysmal, irrepressible
and harsh cough with soreness in the
chest, is common. Coryza—running
at the nose—may or may not attend
it. When the disease is uncomplica¬
ted, the worst is overby the third day,
and the fever by the fourth or fifth,
though the debility may continue for
weeks or months.
Ti e most' serious complication of
the disease is acute bronchitis. This
may appear early or late. The breath¬
ing becomes rapid and difficult. A
spasmodic cough is almost constant.
The expeciorations are glairy and
tenacious. With all this there is the
peculiar prostration of the grippe.
, A more common complication is
pneumonia, of which there arc three
varieties—croupous, congestive and
broncho-pneumonia. Although these
complications are dangerous, yet re¬
covery is the rule under prompt aiul
careful treatment.
A third complication of the grippe
is connected with the heart. If pa¬
tients sit up, they become faint Seme
die of simple failure of the heart;
others are saved from death only by
careful attention on the part of the
nurse. After the grippe has passed
off, a tendency to faintness and neu¬
ralgic pains may remain for weeks or
months.
Another complication affects the
nervous system, and is characterized
by pains iu the head or elsewhere, or
by weakness in certain parts of the
body, such as the hands or arms.
As to treatment, the doctor must
decide iu view of all the symptoms.
But the patient should in every case
take to liis bed. To keep about is ex¬
ceedingly dangerous, especially as ex¬
posing the pa'ient to the above com¬
plications.— [Youth’s Companion.
Timber in the Northwest.
The great timber resources of the
Pacific Northwest can scarcely bo
realized by those who have not vest¬
ed the immense forests of the giant
trees growing so close together in
many places that it is almost impos¬
sible to travel through the woods.
Twenty million acres of land arc
covered wiih a growth of wood which
will cut an average of 25,000 feet of
lumber to the acre. Much of it will
cut au average of 100,000 feet or
more, while single trees are common
ihat will cut 3000 feet each. The
Port Townsend (Washington) Leader
estimates the quantity of merabant-
able lumber standing in the forests of
Washington at 160,000,000,000 feet—
sneiffient to supply all the markets of
America for generations, and yet send
fleets laden with ship timbers to every
part of the civilized world. Oregon,
iu the coast and eascade ranges, and
in the comities along the ocean from
the California River to the California
line, has as much more timber, and
these two great sister states, unless
devasted by forest fires, will never
run short of building material.— [Chi-
cago Times.
The Quack, the Bear and the Earth-
quake.
A quack named Amano bukyemon,
residing at Iwaicho, Nagoya, Japan,
has been doing a trade in bear’* grease,
which was used for medicinal pur-
poses, and to advertise his nostrum
had a bear in a cage with which to
attract custom. The bear, becoming
alarmed at the coufusion consequent
on the recent earthquake, broke out
of his cage, and is spstc of the efforts
of the quack to pacify him, ran
through the street*, killing and wound-
ing all the dogs that came in his way.
An old woman who did not notice his
approach wm also severely bitten.
The bear wa*fiually killed with spear*.
_rCbicafi’O post.
QUEER WILD FOLKS.
r
Facts About the Remarkable
Botocudos of Brazil,
They Have a Strange Method
of Ornamentation.
“The Botocudos of Brazil are
amoil g Ihc most interesting savages in
the world,” said an ethnologist to a
writer for the M ashiugton S ar.
“Although other wild people in vari¬
ous parts of the world distend their
lips and ears with wooden plugs for
ornamental purposes, Indians of this
race carry such practices to an un¬
paralleled extreme. The piercing of the
flesh for this object is performed when
the child is about seven years of age,
a sharp spine from a kind of palm
being used as a surgical instrument.
Openings having thus been made in
the lower lip and lobe of each ear,
bits of wood are inserted to keep them
from healing, bigger and bigger pieces
being substituted until the plugs attain
a diameter sometimes of as much as
four inches. These plugs are cut from
a tree which furnishes a wood quite as
light as cork and of a white color.
They are three-quarters of an inch
thick.
“The wooden disc in the lips is
worn most of the time, but is from
time to time removed, when the lip
hangs in a hideous *loop of flesh
against the chin, looking like a great
worm and displaying the teeth in a
horrible grin. Ordinarily the pressure
of the plug against the lower front
teeth pushes them out of plaee aud
causes them to fall out, thus adding
to the unpleasant effect When tho
plug is in position, the features being
in repose, it is carried horizontally, a
smile causing it to touch the tip of
the nose. In quarrels the perforated
ears and lips aro apt to suffer, and it
i* no uncommon tiling lo see them
broken. When such an accident
occurs the severed parts arc tied to¬
gether and the plug is replaced.
More often than not the ear discs are
not worn aud tho loops of flesh are
left dangling, sometimes reaching to
the shoulders. In traveling through
the forest such loops would be likely
to catch upon boughs of trees, so they
are often turned up and hung over
the ears for convenience.
“The color of tho Botocudos is a
light yellowish brown. From certain
seeds and fruits they obtain brilliant
dyes, with which they adorn their
bodies. There is no set style, the
method of painting tho person varying
with the taste of tho individual. A
favorite fashion is to paint the face
abovo the mouth a bright red, the up¬
per half of the body being stained
black and a red st'-ipo encircling the
waist. A new warrior thus decorated,
with lip and car ornaments, presents
a most demoniacal expression. The
colors employed are mixed in the up¬
per shell of a turtle and are carried in
joints of the bamboo.
“The arms of the Botoeudo consist
of the bow aud arrow. His bow is
made from the wood of an airi palm,
from five to seven feet in length, and
so heavy and strong that no other man
can bend it. The arrows are six feet
long, with shafts of strong and light
reeds, tipped for use in war with a
javelin-like head made from the side
of a joint of bamboo. This head, which
is convex on one side and concave on
the other, is sharpened to a point, the
edge being rendered as keeu as a
knife. Such arrows are employed
also in the. chase of the tapir. They
a re plumed with the feathers of a
j a ,u, e bird. The wounds they make
are terrible and particularly danger-
ous because of the concave shape of
the arrow head, which facilitates
bi ee ding.
“For birds and small game the eav-
utilize arrows with blunt points,
Btun the prev, hut do not tear
it. They capture small lizards with
4hege weapon8 . p 0 r oa iiing one au-
Qther in tlie forests they have speak-
j trumpets made from the skin of
t ail of the great armadillo. While
traveling through the woods they
f or themselves temporary shel-
paim leaves, sticking the stems
^ g roun( j | n a half circle, so
t i,e tip* of the frond* arch to-
^. ether and f orm a 80r t of root. When
encampin g f or a considerable time in
^ place they construct house* often
Wf ew>nB h to hold several families.
The furnishing of a Botocud otabiu 1*
extremely simpic, bed* being made
from bark fiber ami the fire beiig in
the middle of the dwelling. THurds
are used for drinking purposes aiti in
the preparation of food.
“The B doeudos are particularly
! foml of the flesh of monkeys, but tiny
also subsist upon ant eaters, niiiguiote
and boa constrictors. Fish they usu»
ally shoot with small bows,which they*
use with great dexterity; but some¬
times they employ a poisonous root,
which, put into the water, soon brings
the fish to ilie surface. They regard
as a delicacy certain kinds of hug;
caterpillars which burrow ill decaying
wood. These unpleasant grubs are
impaled on a sharp stick, a number at
a time, and toasted at the lire. This
is their usual method of cooking ani¬
mal food. Fire is to them very valu¬
able, because if lo t it can only bo re¬
kindled with great difficulty by means
of the friction of wood, and so they
take much care that it shall not go
out.
“The men usually take but one wife
each. When tin; husband is angry
with iiis spouso lie beats her unmer¬
cifully and cuts her with his knife. So
common is this latter method of con¬
jugal discipline that it is a rare thing
to see a married woman who is not
covered with the scars of terrible
wounds on her f ce, back, breast and
arms. All hard work is done by the
women, who are really slaves. They
wear for ornaments collara made of
hard berry-liko fruits strung on
thread*, necklaces of monkeys’ teeth
or of the hoofs of wild pigs aud arm-
lets of beads and teeth. The Botocudos
have been hunted down and massacred
by the Portuguese. Undoubtedly they
practice cannibalism more or less. It
is a remarkable race, but the last sur¬
vivors are rapidly passing away.”
Lament of the Ship Chandler.
“The business ain’t what it used to
be,” said a ship chandler in Old Slip
to a Tribune reporter the other day.
“In the good old days of clipper
ships, when Old Glory floated in
every port, aud South street was
roofed over with tho jibbooma of the
full-riggers, you wouldn’t ha’ seen n
6hip chandler stamlin’ around in his
shirtsleeves like I’m ndoiu’ now. He’d
ha’ been rushin’ around his store busy
from morning (ill night, takin’ and
fillin’ orders for chains, anchors, ropo,
connectin' blocks, provisions and
what-not that goes to fit out. a ship.
Now we can do it all in tho forenoon,
and chew tobacco and spin yarns till
it’s time to put up the shutters. I
mako about $8000 a year now where
I made $25,000 iu those good old
times.
« • lt all comes from the steam tramps
that are takin’ everythin’in sight until
a sailin’ ship lms to figure mighty
close to make a profit out of a voyage.
Then there aro only two kinds of
sailin’ ships practically in this port—
those that come from the Provinces
and those that come from the old
country. American ships, which arc
our biggest and best customers, are
few ami far between now. The Blue-
noses ortfcr beef, pork and heavy
goods on which there is little profit,
aud hardly touch canned goods, while
an American master will provision up
on canned goods almost entirely, and
it is on canned goods wc mako our
livin’. As for the ships from the old
country, they come across provisioned
and fitted out for the return voyage,
and buy next to nothing here. I tell
you it ain’t like it used to be. ’—[New
York Tribune.
Another Sort of Terror.
“There c<*mes Filkius. Let’s go
around the block.”
“What’s the matter? Had a quarrel
with him?”
“Oh, no; we’re the be6t of friends.”
“Owe him money?”
“Not a cent”
“Think he wants to borrow?”
“No; he always has money.”
“Always has a hard-luck story to
tell, perhaps?”
“Never knew him to tell one in all
the ypars I’ve known him.”
“Well, why in the world don’t you
want to meet him?”
“Hs has a baby that is always say¬
ing bright things.”—[Chicago Trib¬
une.
If people would stop looking toward
the wrong placo they would find it a
great deal easier to stay in the right
place. .. - —
Over the Balusters.
Over ths balusters bends a fare,
Darfingly sweet and beguiling j
Somebody stands In careless grace,
Aud watches the picture, smiling.
Tired and sleepy, with drooping bead,
1 wonder why she lingers.
And when all the good-nights are said,
Why somebody holds her fingers—•
Holds her fingers and draws her down,
Suddenly growing bolder.
Till her loose hair drops in masses brown
Like a mantle over bis shoulder.
Over the balusters soft hands fair
Brush his cheeks like a feather;
Bright brown tresses and dusky hair
Meet aud mingle together.
1'tcre's a question asked, there’s a swlfl
caress,
Sle has flown like a bird from the hall
way;
But over the balusters drops a “Yes’*
Thai shall brighten the world for hfm
riway. —[College Song.
HUMOROUS.
The talkative man is sound to tike
core.
Why is the letter Klike a pig’s tail?
Because it is tho end of pork.
Bread is tho staff of fife, but most
men arc looking for a “puddin*.”
Tiiero is something as good as
bravery in getting scared in time.
Thomson—My wife and I never dis¬
agree. Johnson—llur word is law,
then.
Tho liar needs a good memory; but
i his victim is in no danger of forget-
fulness,
Tho Prince of Wales has lived a
remarkable life—50 years without a
drop of reign.
A buzz saw is all right as long as it
has its own way, but it does not want
to be crossed.
Bridges—Did Van Leer ever tell
you about his family treo? Brooks—
Yes, it is a chestnut.
There is a diffurcnce between sitting
before tho flro and thinking about do¬
ing, and going out in the cold and
doing it.
She—Aiul yon will always love me?
All the live-long day? lie—Ye-e*, I
will—I will. But, oh, give mo a
chance to stop for meals I
Brainless Fop—Aw, d » yon believe
that; aw, monkeys can be taught to
ta k? Pretty Girl—Well, you seem to
be able to chatter a little,
i “Curious,” remarked Jinkinson,
“how many people it takes to do one
thing. When my landlord raises tho
rent, 1 have lo hustle around and raise
it too.”
I put outside my window a large
box, filled it with soil and sowed it
with seeds; what do you think came
up? A policoman, who ordered mo
to remove it.
“Marriage has not changed him
much,” said Mrs. Potts. “Before wo
were married ho would not let mo
carry the lightest bundle—and ho
does not now. He let* me lug tho
heavy ones.”
When a hungry lion becomes
enamored with the charms of a fat
lamb, he begins to regard all other
lions as hungry thieves; there is 'a
suggestion in this of the way a mftn
in love feels.
“Do you know,” said a young
woman, “I think that Johnny Jor-
wiggle must be a wonderfully clever
conversationalist.” “Clever?” “Ye*.
It’s wonderful to see how he gets
along without any ideas.”
Not long ago in London, England,
a preacher indu'ged in a little bit of
sarcasm over a small collection and ho
did it very neatly. “When I look at
the congregation,” said he, “I a*k:
Where are the poor? and when I look
at the collection I ask: Where are tho
rich?”
Oh, yes, of course, she’d marry him,
In just two weeks, she said;
But when he claimed the girl, her pa
Had dated her ahead.
A Very Fine Legal Point.
“They say judges are always on
tlie side of justice,” remarked Squire
Johnson this morning, “but I fail to
see it. Do you know what they did
to me once? I found a grocer guilty
of *elling oleomargarine, contrary to
law, and my decision was reversed,
simply because iu the warrant for hia
arrest I said butter wa* made of ‘milk
or cream’ instead of ‘milk aud cream.’
There i* hair splitting for yon. He
wss a United States judge, too.**—
rCincinnati Times-Star.