“It has been suggested that Cysticercus can be detected before the animal is killed by an examination of the tongue. In exceptionably severe instances this is probably correct, but then it would be equally observable in some other parts of the body. Major Biggs, Commissariat Officer here, tells me of an animal he saw at Rawul Pindee, in which immense clusters of cysts could be felt at the root of the tongue and under the skin in several parts. After examining a very large number of tongues of ‘cysted’ animals, my experience is that it is found in the soft muscles and cellular tissues at the root of the tongue, perhaps more frequently than anywhere else; but I have never seen a case in which there was a chance of detecting it before death.
“The most common situations in which it has occurred in the ration meat have been the gluteal, psoas, and lumbar regions. In many instances only from one to ten cysts have been found on cutting the carcase into small pieces, and I have no doubt that it often passed without detection.
“During 1868 and 1869 I from time to time obtained pieces of beef badly infected with Cysticercus, and made some experiments as to the results of its consumption under different conditions.
“After explaining to them the possible consequences of eating it a buttock of beef studded with Cysticercus was given to three natives of low caste. They all declared that they were free from Tænia, or, to use their own term, “Kadhu dana.” The meat they cooked in their own way. These men were under my observation for some six months. Two of them had no symptom of Tænia, but the third, who was a low-class Mahommedan syce, and had probably eaten the meat in a very raw state, developed a Tænia mediocanellata in about three months.
“My own sweeper ate this cyst-infected beef regularly two or three times a week for some months. He cooked it well generally as an ordinary stew, and has never shown a sign of having tapeworm.
“Into the food of a boy of low Hindoo caste, but who had never eaten beef, two scolices of Cysticercus were surreptitiously introduced, the result being that, between three or four months afterwards, he applied for some tapeworm medicine.”
[The two successful experiments here reported are evidently the same as those that I have referred to (p. [72]) as having been performed by Dr Oliver, of the Royal Artillery, stationed at Jullundur. The report continues as follows:]
“Tænia mediocanellata is very common amongst the Mussulman population of the Punjab, and from reliable sources I am informed that the lower classes amongst them are in the regular habit of eating half-cooked beef; indeed, prefer it so, and it is amongst these people that tapeworm is so prevalent.
“But it is not only thorough cooking that is required to guard soldiers in India from the ill effects of eating measly meat; there is want of cleanliness in the general arrangements of the kitchens and serving of meals, which must offer great facilities for the introduction into the food of Cysticercus.
“Barrack cooks, unless constantly looked after, are utterly careless as to the washing of chopping blocks, tables, dishes, &c. The dish or pot cover on which the meat is placed when raw is often used without washing for serving the piece up for dinner, and I have myself picked up a Cysticercus from the table on which a cook was preparing food. The dangers too of the parasite being conveyed by the cook’s unwashed hands to the plates in which meals are served, and the common practice of using the same knife for cutting up meat, and afterwards, without washing it, for other culinary purposes, must not be overlooked. With good selection and careful feeding there seems to be every probability that Cysticercus would soon almost or completely disappear from our Commissariat cattle. If they were entirely stall-fed and watered from wells there could scarcely be a possibility of infection after their purchase.