Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-05

"UncfnariaS1S Is specific zooparaStt1c
disease" says DR.. Stiles, land, while wide
ly scattered. is found especially in tropical
and semi-tropical sand areas. 1t Is caused
by hookwOrms that inhabit the small in
teStines causing anaemia, with all its con-
sequent discomforts and dangers; great
weakness and emaciation: colicky pains In
the abdomen: perverted appetite. diar-
rhoea. nausea. and many other Affections
The only positive diagnosis of the disease Is
by finding the parasite or its eggs.
All classes of people may be affected by
hookwOrmS. but 1t Is more frequent in per-
sons whose daily life brings them in con-
tact with damp earth-farmers, miners,
brickmakers. excavators, children. and
others. This is shown more conclusively
In the last year than ever before by the
Investigations of medical experts Of Europe
These experts have proven that the anaemfa
from which the coal miners of Europe Suf-
fer and die Is largely attributable to hook
worms. and not wholly to the poisoned at
moSDhere OF the mines. the theory held by
the majority for many years. 1t has
been by slow degrees however, that the
conclusion has been reached that ankylos-
toma. the foreign name for hookworm. is
the main cause OF the pale, weak condition
OF many underground workers. The French
government is now instituting a thorough
inquiry. which is expected to bring out
more facts than ever gathered before.
First Known to Science.
TT is probable that the ancient Egyptians.
nearly thirty five hundred years ago, were
acquainted with The parasites we now call
hookworms. From a geological standpoint,
however. the first hookworm known to
science was found in the intestine of a
common badger by Goeze. a German clergy
man, in 1882 Goeze called it the hair
round worm and gave it a long Latin
name. 1t was not until 1913 that Dubini
of Milan. Italy. described a hookworm as
parasitic in man. Since then there has
been much research and the development
of the history of the parasite has been con-
siderable. 1t was rot until 1893, eleven
years ago, that any authentic cases of this
disease were recognized in this country, but
between 1893 and 1902 about thirty-fiye
cases were diagnosed. It has been estab-
lished that few cases of old world hook
worm were imported into this country but
IN the south the worm Is of native origin.
The disease has been known in that section
of the country for many years. medical
writings referring to it as far back as 1908
bu' it's nature has not been understood
Some of the cases were confused with ma
laria and others have been attributed to the
eating of dirt. 1t is a widespread belief in
the sand regions of the south that the
anaemic. sailow-lookng people who are
seen are dirt eaters, and that their trouble
is caused by the eating of dirt The infec-
ton occurs chiefly in sand regions, where
the disease brings about perversion of
appetite that is awful
''HOOkwOrmS are about half an inch long
Establishing themselves in the small in
testine, they suck blood. produce minute
hemorrhageS, and in all probability produce
a substance that acts as a poison. They
lay eggs that cannot develop to maturity
In the intestine, and these ova escape with
the feces and hatch In about twenty-four
hours. White people appear to be more Sc
verely affected than negroes.
Distinct Species.
'Dubini's parasite presented four hooks In
the mouth. 1t presented further an ana
tomical character that is common to all
he okworms-the ventral surface of the
anterior end grows more rapidly than the
dorsal surface. so that the oral end is bent
backward like hook. and the mouth thus
occupies a dorSal position. Thus it is seen
that the original character. which led to the
vernacular name 'hookyJorm,' was a misin-
terpretat!on. and the alleged hooks In the
mouth Is not present in all species. Our
American species is a distinct one, but so
closely resembling the AnkyIostoma of Eu-
rope that 1t would be impossible for ordi-
nary eyes to distinguish between them.
The sexes of the hookworm are separate.
and they have a complete digestive tract.
characteristic of the family is the pres
ence on the tail of the male of an UNI
brella-like structure known as the caudai
burSa. species of the disease occurs in
dogs. foxes and allied animals, and pro-
duces serious anaemia In sheep. Another
species is found in cattle
THE eggs of the hookworm do not de-
velop in the intestine, as have stated and
the disease may be incurred by drinking
impure water or may be swallowed in con-
taminated food. Persons handling dirt are
especially apt to get the microscopic worms
on their hands. and it is an easy matter to
transfer them to the mouth. either directly
or by biting finger nails or sucking fingers,
directly with. the food. In prevention.
therefore, careful habits and pure drinking
water are absolutely essential. Some
writer's hold that the young stages of the
worm scattered in the air by the wind
and in a dry state the Inference being that
bay fhpp he hraafhad N ma
taminate food. While not caring to go to
the extreme of stating that such a method
of dissemination or infection Is impossible.
my own observations on this class of para
sites do not lead me to attach any import
ance to aerial infection. Looss recently sug-
gested that the larvae may enter the hui
man body by way of the skin and then
pass through the body to the intestine.
Startling as this view Is, Looss has recently
demonstrated the correctness of It, Looss
has shown that II a drop of water contain
ing embryo hookwormS Is placed upon the
skin an itching sensation is produced; the
worms enter the hair follicles, and from
there they seem to bore into the surround
ing tissues. Looss further advanced the
startling opinion that the larvae then
reached the intestine and he recounted OBJ
seryations which gave a certain amount Of
plausibility to this view.
Through the Skin.
More recently Looss has performed ex-
periments which. SO far can be judged
at present. demonstrate the correctness Of
his theory. He smeared on puppy MIX
ture of charcoal and feces In which hook
worm larvae had been bred Between nine
and ten days afterward the puppy died and
was found to have anemia of most of his
organs, together with plentiful supply of
hookworms A second puppy was treated
In similar way, and also died between
the ninth and tenth days. Upon post
mortem he also showed the same results
A man who offered himself for experiment
was similarly treated on his forearm, and
seventy-one days afterward the first hook
worms were discovered in the feces. Some
what similar results in the way of en-
trance of the embryo worms into the skin
have been obtained by Van Durme In ex-
periments with guinea pigs. Bentley be-
lia.,ad t1at tci, IL no ix,iti