Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-03
INVESTIGATION SINCE 1904
Results From Minute Parasites in In
testines.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE DISEASE
Remedy Suggested for Its Prevention
and Spread Among the People
on the Island.

1.-THE lazy disease" of Porto Rico. other
wise known as form of anema has been
the subject of careful study since March L.
1904. by a medical commission appointed
for the purpose under the authority OF an
act OF the legislative assembly OF tho is
land, and thousands of cases have been
treated. The commission on January l OF
this year issued report to Gov. Winthrop
outlining it's work and giving the results OF
the study
THE anemia OF Porto Rico is a disease"
says the report ''It is an infectious dis
ease. not an inherent condition. not an ex-
haustion OF vital forces. not the natural end
Of mans existence here in Porto Rico. Ii
cuts down man. woman and child OF every
age. 1t cripples industrial effort, limits
mental expansion. weakens the body and
depresses the spirit, until many laborers in
country where agriculture is the chief
source of revenue are enervated, de-
spoudent without hope OF betterment and
without power to save themselves. Some
times a man cannot earn enough to feed his
family, and he is driven to eat the crudest
fruits of a bountful nature in the wild
fruits of Porto Rico. We are now speak
ing of the great mass of the people. nu-
merically considered-the very hearts blood
of the country, blood which aver
age is below 80 per cent of what It should
and can be-"
Caused by Parasite.
Such is the shocking condition In the
largest of our West Indian possessions. re-
vealed by the work of the commission. The
specific name given the disease is uncin-
ariasis. from minute parasites called I'M
cinaria. which enter through a persons
skin and breed in the intestines. and which
are the cause OF all the trouble. according
to the commission which is composed of
such prominent medical men as, DIR. Pedro
! Gutierrez Igaravidez, a Spanard and citt-
zen of the island; DR. w w. King passed
assistant surgeon United States public
health and marine hospital service. and
Capt. Bailey X. Ashford. assistant surgeon
of the United States army.
Nothing less than the stamping out OF
this terrible disease effecting a whole peo-
pie is the aim of the island government
The members of the commission in their
report say:
1--WE believe that In the universal treat
ment of persons effected lies the secret or
successful opposition to uncinariasis''
In this belief they are supported by the
best medical opinion of the island and by
the principles adopted by England Ger
many, France and Belgium in combating
the same disease in their mines. By this
method it is claimed. not only are the sick
cured, but the spread of the disease through
Infection of the soil. which continues to &C.
in spite OF prayers, lectures advice.
coaxing and even the prohibition imposed
by law Is prevented
At the station for treatment and preveu-
ton. which will be the place OF places to
teach the voluntary seeker after health
why he is sick and how to avoid a repeti-
served: The man is cured and warned. while
he is being rendered at least relatively In
capable of spreading the disease
Development of the Disease.
The sequence of events in the develop
ment and spread of the disease is most iu-
terestIng, described by the commission.
The parasite lives in the intestine of man.
An ordinary case of uncinariasfs such as is
seen most frequently. produces over a MIL
lion eggs a day which are laid by the fe-
male worms in the upper part of the small
intestine. These eggs, when deposited on
the soil under proper conditions of shade,
moisture and temperature which exist In
Porto Rico, give rise to innumerable NIL
mute young worms, the larvae. which await
an opportunity to penetrate the skin of
man and travel to his Intestine, their final
and natural home.
Very fortunately, however, these larvae
cannot reproduce their species outside OF
the human body, nor do they live indefinite
ly in the earth, although the exact limit of
their existence has not been determined.
When one harbors but few worms tho
symptoms of infection are usually few
entirely absent and the individual Is much
less dangerous to the community In which
he lives than he who is sick from large
number. Mazamorra. or ground itch" is
the first sign of infection by the parasites.
and is frequently developed by laborers in
the rural districts. IL severe or repeated
attacks take place uncinariass Will follow
the condition in which man finds himself
unable to resist the poison in his system, a
poison whose effect is manifested by GER
tain notable disturbances In the functions
OF the vital organs.
The details of the treatment of the indf-
vidual cases simplicity itself. Specific
vermifuges have been prepared which viii
kill the parasite and destroy the eggs. In
q few weeks almost any case can be cured
II is stated, and the results of six months
work on the island taken an example.
have been marvellous.
A campaign of education. which Will lead
the people to come for treatment and then
to take care not to become infected with
the disease again. is wherein lies the saliva
ton of the islanders, say the members OF
the commission and other medical authori-
ties That the disease OF so-called laziness
will ultimately be stamped out seems to be
certain; that is, so far as It effects the mass
of the people.