Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-04

WASHINGTON, D. c., December 3
GSpecial)-Dr. Charles Wardcll Stiles.
zoologist Of the Bureau of Animal In
dustry. who has made an extensive in
vestgation into the hook-worm disease,
prevalent in portions Of the South. and
who is probably better Informed on that
subject than any ether scientist in Amer
lea, after a careful investigation of the
conditions among the cotton mills Of the
South. says:
Il have traced the hook-worrn disease to
the cotton mills o: the South, and found
many of these stunted children, of whom
we hear so much in connection with the
chld-labor question, suffering from the
disease. They had come from the farms
Of the sandy area of the South, and
brought the disease with them. Many
of them are from TO 5 years older than
they appear. This puts an entirely new
phase on the chld-labor question. These
children are stunted IN growth, not be-
cause of factory life, It because of the
hool<-worm disease. They are in better
health than the children of correspond
ing circumstances on the farms, and they
stand j better chance of recovery in the
factory than on the farms. And, besides
they are earning more money, with less
severe labor, in the mills. than their
neighbors on the farms are earning,
I thoroughly inspected the company
houses and I found them superior in con-
venience. comfort. and hysienic arrange
ment to the farm houses from whence the
children came.
It is evident from the foregoing that the
investigation Of DR.. Stiles has set at
naught some Of the pet theories of the
opponents Of child labor in the South.
Dr. stiles did not investigate the cot
ton-rnill situation with view to throw
lug light on the child-labor problem but
that came incidentally in his investigation
of the hook-worm disease.
New AiImcnt In America.
This is 4 new disease to the American
rublic and one that has heretofore been
regarded as incurabie. 1t has frequently
been mistaken by physicians for other
Irlaladies, and thousands have died be-
cause Of the lack of medical knowledge
of it, and its prevention and cure by the
medical profession.
The disease first became prominent i'll
the southern States after the Spanish
American war. The parasite was common
in Cuba and Porto Rico, and was trans
ferred TO American soil by the soldiers
return from those islands. 1t was then
that Surgeon General Wwman, of the Ma
rine Hospital and Public Health Service
took official cognzance of the disease
and it is through him and the investiga-
tons of DR. Stiles that science knows
what it does know OF the disease to-day
The hook-worm disease, told in simple
language is caused by a small parasite
called the hook worm, which gets into the
small intestines and there hooks itself on
The walls of the intesiines and sucks the
blood of the victim. They vary in size
-,f. i>,It,
in length. and in thickness they are about
the size Of No. thread. A few Of them
can live in the intestines without incon-
venience to the victim. Twenty or SO
will produce a burning, itching sensation
in the victim. A hundred or more be
comes q continuous drain on victim 5
life and 2 thousand will bring ultimate
leath if relief is not found. Dr. Stiles
has discovered cases where there were
l.600 of these little blood-suclling para
sites in the intestines Of a single VIC
tim.
In treatise on the subject, gotten out
for the medical profession by DR.. Stiles.
under the auspices of the Marine Hospi-
tal Service. he says of theWorm:
B1ocdsucLers OF Worst Type.
The genus Uncinaria contains blood
sucking worms Of the worst type. They
ere usually not ever an inch IN length
nor thicker than an ordinary hat-pln
They are provided with a heavy armature
of sharp teeth, by means of which they
ierce the intestinal mucous OF their host
They have also an unusually strong mus
cular esophagus, which serves as
pump during the act of sucking blood. An
important point from the medical aspect
OF the parasites, is that they do not re-
main fastened to one spot in the bowels,
but suck first 1T enc spot and then at
another. Thus the patient loses blood
directly TO the parasites, and also, by nu-
,,,ercus minute hemorrhagcs, into the in
tcstine.
THE injury to the intestinal wall does
not step with the bite. The wound forms
an excellent point of attack for bacteria,
ana the intestinal wall becomes thicken-
ed, thus loosing. to a greater or lesser
degree. the ability properly to perform
IFS function Not only does the patient
lose blood. but his power of assimilation
is impaired. and the supply of blood-1orm-
ing material is thus IN part cut on
Sor1e authors also Clam that the para
sites produce a poison. which acts upon
the system, a view which seems quite
plausible.
The worms are swallowed in drinking
wafer. or in communicating food or after
+ba second eciyss. Dirt eaters are, OF
course peculiarly liable to become IN
facted, while persons handling dirt are
art to get the microscopic worms on
their hands, and il is an easy matter 10
-, chow, 70 tho mouth either direct