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

other authors STATE that 1t rarely extends
above fhe ankles. II infection takes place
through the skin. you'd not the hands and
palms OF 4, hands, the spaces between
the toes and fingers and under the toe nails
and finger nails be the most common initial
ida physicians say that ground itch is ex-
ceedingiy common, occurring at some
period in the life of practically every per-
son unless he lives exclusively In city
Sufferers from bookW0rms show many
The face of a .cd4hrmIN sufferer has an
anxious; stupid expression ana is some
frequently dilated, and the eyes are dull.
dry and usually Of chalky white. Some
times there is q stupid, fsh-ltke stare that
is hard to describe, vers similar to that
noticed In cases Of extreme alcoholic in
toxication While not opposing the theory
of infection through the skin, my observa-
lions during my trip through the south do
not indicate that any indirect method OF In
lection is necessary to explain the severe
casessI found. Children ate their bread
with soiled hands, licked their fingers.
picked their teeth and OF their finger nails.
among the class OF people found to be
most infected. and better sanitary condi-
tious were badly needed. Some writer's
system az the cause OF the disease: others
look upon It as symptom OF the trouble.
Affects the Appetite.
"a perverted and generally ravenous appe-
lite Is one Of the symptoms q the disease.
Patients arc especially fond Of pickles.
have seen boys and girls in advanced stages
Of the disease greedily devour entire bottles
of pickles; others want salt or lemons or
to chew coffee or drink large quantities Of
coffee without sugar or milk. Very few
Io xzr{1I al hot
they eat dirt. There is a certain amount
of disgrace connected with the reputation Of
dirt eating. and those who have an abnOr-
NAL appetite Of this kind conceal their
weakness.
I'm the numerous cases I found in the
south, the majority OF them being In the
sand regions around Kershaw. 8. c.. could
not ascertain whether there had been much
dirt eating. The disease was often en-
countered in South Carolina, Georgia and
the disease in a farming section may be
judged when I say that I found many
cases on one farm. The loss in wages
and laboring capacity is large under these
hands in an infected district 1t is not an
exaggeration to say that these 100 people
cannot do thu work Of 80 average hands in
a healthy region. The economic considera-
tons involved are many. not considering
the disconsolate homes and humanity The
disease Is carried by the poor whites Of the
sand and pine regions of the south into
the cotton mills, but does not spread much
In the mills It nevertheless causes a con-
siderable amount of anemia among the
operatives.
The treatment Of the disease that is
recommended by medical experts who have
given 1t study Is thymol or male fern, iron
and good food Before the treatment the
patient is placed on 4 milk and soup diet
Ior three days. Sandwich says that large
ooses or thymol have a poisonous effect on
the system. not unlike that produced by
carbolic acid. Besides the medicine for tho
expulsion of the parasite there should be
enorts to build up the depleted system by
tonics.'' -