Much has been written as to how, from diseased animals, human beings have contracted contagious diseases, especially tuberculosis. The risk of such contagion has in all probability been much exaggerated. Flesh foods are seldom taken in an uncooked form, and disease germs are usually destroyed by the sterilizing process involved in cooking. The cooking process, however, must be very thorough in order to destroy disease germs; that is, the heat must be sufficient to coagulate the proteids. The interior of a rare beefsteak, such as popularly demanded by the flesh-eater, has not reached this temperature, hence this form of meat should be condemned on this ground if for no other.

A choice between two evils.

Rare beef unfit for food.

Perhaps the worst form of disease contamination from fresh flesh food is that of trichinosis. Trichinae are worm-like creatures which have the first stage of their growth in the flesh of swine, and then become encased in a cyst or egg-like structure, which, when taken into the human digestive organs are revived, and the trichinae then bore their way through the walls of the digestive organs, completing their growth in the human muscle-tissue. Trichinosis is one of the most fatal of diseases, but fortunately is not common. Tapeworms owe their origin to a similar source. There are several species of tapeworms; some have their origin in pork, and some in beef.

Trichinosis.