Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-07-18
TUNNEL DISEASE.

Curious AHiiction of Those Who Delvc
in Miues and Tunnels.
There is u disease which attacks the
lab0rers in tunnels and mines. 1t Is as
old as Egypt, but only within this cen
fury has 1t been placed to specific
parasite. 1t is painful and danger
GUS disease, often resulting in death.
A monograph on the subject Of this
malady, called ankylostomiasis, has
just appeared, and, coming as it does
from Hugo F. Goldman. NJ. D., the Of
fetal physician in the coal mines of
Brennberg, near Oldenburg, Germany.
it carries great weight, for it is based
upon years of experience and practical
treatment of this dread disease.
1t attacks not only men but animals,
especially the horses or mules used in
the building of tunnels and the opera
ton of mines. 1t is a disease caught by
IL lection, like typhoid or cholera. 1t
may be contracted in the air or by con-
tact with the germs, which are really
the eggs of the little worm, or ankylos-
toma, as it is called. This name means
"hooked mouth" and refers to the six
hooked teeth around the mouth of the
parasite by which it clings to the int.
rior of the human intestine. 1t is found
not only in the duodenum, but also in
the smaller intestlnes, where it grows
and fourishes
Male and female can be distinguished
among these parasites, the females be-
ing larger and more numerous than the
males. The males grow to the length
of 1887 inch, and the female is on an
average half as long again. They can
be seen with the naked eye. This ami.
NAL has neither breathing apparatus
nor circulatory system, and varies in
color from grayish white to brown and
even blood red, according to the condi.
ton of the person in whom 1t is found
The female lays large number of eggs
in the human intestines, from which
they spread the disease infinitely under
proper conditions. The parasite and
the egg develop best In temperature
between Go and So degrees Fahren.
heit. The air and surrounding medium
should be moist. 1t is on account of
the moisture and heat to be found in
mines and tunnels that this parasite
develops SO perfectly among the toll.
ers in these places. Darkness is also
necessary, sunlight killing these ami.
malculae almost instantly.
Ankylostomiasis originated in the
Orient. 1t has been long established In
Egypt, but has been mistakenly called
Egyptian chlorosis, or aenemia, and
was treated .as mere poverty Of the
blood in red corpuscles. 1t passed over
from Egypt to Italy, where it was not
really understood until Dubini found
the parasite in 1888.
When the st. Gothard tunnel was
built, in the '7Os. the disease spread
throughout central Europe, especially
in Switzerland. The further spread
ing Of the ankylostoma to the mines OF
Europe was quick to follow. When the
men were first attacked in the st. Got
hard tunnel 1t was thought that new
disease, the tunnel disease" had beer
found, but 1t was nothing other than
the ankylostoma, as was proved by
Perroncito, when he found no less thar
1900 Of these parasites in the duode
mum of man who had died of '.tun
mel disease"
The mode of infection is very ap
parent. The men while at work OTTER
carry their hands to their mouths, OF
eat their food in the tunnels or mines
and In this way the parasite or its eggs
enter through the mouth, pass on into
the system and find a permanent home
in the intestines, to the walls of which
they cling with all six teeth, feeding
on the blood of the unfortunate person
attacked.