The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-01-22
is A RARE DISEASE.
Parasitic Invasion Which Leaves
Sufferer Incapable of Exertion.
Penetrate MucOn@ Membrane of I'M
testines and Extreme
Inertia-C1asS OF Workmen
Most liable to Attack.

Mn@k AAnDAG 10 AkNAG4a
There is no prospect of al invasion
of the "lazy disease" unless the phase
known as ennui in high-class phrase
ology spreads throughout the city.
Physicians declare that the case of
ankylostoma discovered in the Johns
Hopkins hospital, in Baltimore, has
no reference to the m term, so
when a man says he is suffering from
laziness he cannot attribute it to a
parasitic invasion, says the Chicago
Record-Herald of recent date.
Naturally the English term used by
DR.. Charles w. Stiles in referring to
the case in the Baltimore hospital
would convey to one the idea that
lazy disease" has some reference to
the feeling of lassitude and inertia,
which is known to prevail among the
class scientifically designated the
genus hobo. Local physicians, how
ever, insist this is not true, and say
the tramp should not be given an ex-
cuse for his desire to avoid manual
exertion.
When asked if they thought the in
dividual who pleaded before a Maxwell
street justice recently that he had not
worked for 12years was suffering from
ankylostoma or lazy disease" each
medical expert said: mo; that was
~laziness of a different type"
"The tramp is lazy because he likes
it," said DR.. John B. Murphy, "and not
from any physical ailment. The case
referred to in dispatches concerning
a man in the Johns Hopkins hospital
has reference to a rare disease.
Ankylostoma, or the term lazy dis.
ease has no connection with the com.
mon or accepted term. 1t is a parasitic
invasion of the ~duodenum."
Record of only n case being treat
ed in the city was discovered. A few
years ago a southern man entered the
county hospital suffering from ankyl-
ostoma. DR.. Joseph A. Caps treated
the man, who was afflicted practically
with the symptoms described in the
Baltimore sufferer. Parasites known
under the medical term of uncinaria
d~uodenalls had penetrated the mucous
membrane of the intestines, causing
a serious loss of blood. They likewise
produced lassitude and inertia, leav-
ing the sufferer without any desire for
physical exercise. DIR. Capps wrote a
history Of the ease at the time, and il
was reported in the medical journals
as a unique and rare disease.
THE statement concerning the con,
dition of the patient in the Johns Hop
kins hospital is scientifically correct
said DR.. David r. Brewer. 1.-THE dis
ease called ankylostoma is a rare
thing, and to the best of my ~recollec.
ton has only been discovered once OF
twice in this country. The relation OF
that parasite is comparatively of re-
cent discovery. Typhoid fever has
many of the same symptoms, but such
a situation as that existing in the case
of the nan in Baltimore is practical
ly new"
DR.. Bertram w. Sippy said he had
personal knowledge of but one case
of lazy disease" that being the M
told of by DR.. Caps. Ceases of this
kind of disease always come from the
south" said DR.. sippy, "and there they
usually are found in the mountains
They are not numerous. | recall E
sketch of the disease in connection
with the St. Gothard tunnel. Tune
workers are more likely to suffer
from it than any other class, and in the
work there several instances are sale
to have been found in which the work
men had been attacked by these para
sites"
Dr. Arthur Dean Bevan and DR.. Hen
ry 1. Byford said they had not me
with any case of ankylostoma in thei,
practice, although both had heard O.
the case treated by DR.. Capps.