The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-08
MANS WORST TROPICAL FOB.
THE HOOKWORM DISEASE A
WORLDWTDE SOOURGE.
Cause OF Sickness and Poverty In Asia
and Africa as Well as I'm tho
Southern States-scicnce's knowledge
OF the Pest-Measures OF PREY ention.

during the last few years owing TO the
discovery that much OF the sickness anC
some OF the adverse economic conditions
OF the South are due 10 It's widespread
existence.
Up TO 1903 no authentic case Of the dis
ease was recognized as such in the United
States. In 1902 DR.. Charles Wardell
Stiles of tho Public Health and Marine
Hospital Service showed that q distinct
hookworm, which was named Uncindrio
americana, infests man In the southern
States of this countrv.
The anemia so prevalent in the South
and so facilitating to a large number OF
the inhabitants as 10 give rise 10 the ex-
preston lazy whites. is said 10 be almost
entirely due TO hook worm disease. Ac-
cording TO Stiles. districts situated on n
clay soil and cities are not favorable 10
the development or the mnlady. but in
the agricultural regions in which the soil
Is sandy infection ldkes place readily.
The anemia is caused oy a leechlike,
blood sucking parasite which infests the
small intestine. Sandwith OF Cairo.
Egypt, believes that the ancient Egyptians
suffered from this form Of annmia as l.
number OF references 'allying with the
| VI TIC dhpStibh no
found in ancient writings.
Within modern times this partloult r
kind OF anemia was described In Brazil
by Piso In 1913; Labat In 1912 or t745
observed IL in Guadeloupe. Chevalier in
1852 in Santo Domingo. Dazzle and Bason
in 1910 in the Antilles and Edwards In
| l7e0-i7o3 In Jamaica.
In Europe the disease was first noted
among the miners OF Auzin France. in
1902. The parasite, however was not dis
covered until ls43, by Dublin OF Milan.
Gdesinger in 1854 first showed the true
relation OF the parasitioal disease to anrnia.
Tho worm causing the malady IL, says
Stiles. somewhat different In Europe and
in the Old World generally. from that Of
this continent. 1t Is known in Europe
as the Ankvlostomiun duodendie and here
as the Unoirdria americana.
II has remarkably wide distribution,
being found In almost all tropical and
sub-tropical regions. and in many parts
of the temperate zone. In Great Britain
the parasite was unknown till recently.
In 1902 there was a serious outbreak OF
aukby, in Cornish mines, In
France 1t exists in the mining districts
In Belgium and Germany 1t prevails largely
among the same class. Among miners
working in the coal mines of Hungary the
affection is common, In Italy the disease
has been observed on an extended scale.
especially in the provinces III Milan and
Pavia in Lombardy.
In the Far East the maady is present
almost everywhere, It is exceedingly COM
mon throughout the indian Peninsula and
r. MI NJ otb hox
shown that in Assam, Bengal, and some
other parts Of India from 90 TO 10 per cent.
Of the reputation baIbor the parasite.
1t is believed that IN some of tie hospitals
OF &c lon the majority of cases Of dysentery
and debility that come under treatment
are due to tl.is parasite. Dr. Thomhill of
Ceylou states that the more he reflects on
his own experience arc the moro he reads
Of the experience. OF cthers the frnIer does
his conviction become that the hookworn
is the greatest enemy OF the human race
in the tropics.
In Burmah the worm is widely prevalent,
and IL has wide distribution in the East
Indian Islands. II has also been found in
Cochin China. in French lndo-China and in
Japan; in fact. in some parts Of China it is
very common.
Australia contains many sufferers from
the hook worm disease. while il fourishes
more or less in all parts Of Africa. In
Egypt the infection occurs with great
frequency, and on the west coast of Africa,
in the Belgian Congo, in Nautilus and in
South Africa II Is extremely prevalent.
In Central America the hookworm is a
scourge. and it is fairly common in all parts
Of South America. There are but few of
the West Indian islands in which the para
site is not found, and in Porto Rico it ia the
cause Of almost all the sickness and poverty
so widespread throughout that island.
From the above account it will be gath
cred that hookworm disease has a very eX-
tensive range but that it is found mainly
in not or warm climates. while as cause
OF permanent endemic disease it is almost
wholly confined to tropical or sub-tropcal
countries. Italy being the only country
which s an exception TO that rule.
As to the manner in which infection by
the hookworm takes place, there is by no
means unaninhty Of opinion among medi-
cal men. Clemow, great authority. says:
The development Of the ova takes place in
muddy water. mud or damp earth. while
for the final stage, and in order they may
again become sexually mature worms, they
must enter the tissues of human being.
This probably takes place by means OF
foul drinking water, or, perhaps, more
commonly by being transferred in the act
Of eating from earthsoiled hands to the
mouth: OF by a direct penetration OF the
skin Hence it is most common to find
the affection in persons who work in tho
earth.
All are agreed that the disease is essen
TALLY one of the soil, but il is not now be-
lieved that drinking water. however foul.
plays any part in its causation, nor even
that eating dirt stained food ia very i'm
portant factor. The trend OF opinion il
toward the belief that direct infection is
the main cause
The majority Of those who work in
tropical climates are scantily clothed.
and seldom or never wear coverings on their
feet or legs. and it is surmised that the
worms, swarming in the earth, effect an
entrance to the body by means Of the bare
feet and legs Of the workers.
Treatment by drugs is effective, male
form and thymol, especially the latter,
being excellent curative remedies. Pre-
vention. nevertheless, as in most diseases
of parasitic nature. is the most effective
mode Of extirpation