Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-11-02

scause its victim to fall easy prey to other
diseases which, ordinarily, might be cas-
lily cured. In this way its toll of human
life, claimed indirectly, has been and
still is enormous in the south. .r
The disease, according to well-informed
physicians, is easily cured. A dime
worth of thymol, an intestinal antiseptic.
will in most cases effect a cure by driving
the parasites from the intestines
The great danger to the human race OF
the hook worm disease is the fact that
so few people generally realize that they
have fallen victims of the parasites, until
their mental vigor has been impaired and
their physical being ruined for the time
being The hook worm disease has very
properly been nick-named the lazy dis
ease" 1t makes it's victim ambitionless,
INDECENT worthless. It dwarfs the mind
and body. ....-. s,.--...
II altogether proper in discussing the
hook worm and the disease for which the
parasite is responsible. you should refer
to the worm as an Uncinaria, and the
disease you should call Uncinariasis.
These are the medical terms for the worm
and the disease, but they are rarely used.
The hook worm usually lays hold Of its
victims by attacking the feet. though In
some cases II has gained access to the hui
man body through the hands and in other
cases through drinking water. Most often
II attacks children in the summer time,
because in this season they are usually
bare footed. ,..
Investigation has pretty thoroughly 'es-
tablished that the parasite cannot live
except in sandy regions. The eggs will
not hatch in clay or other soil formations
of the kind, and the worm can find no.
sustenance in such regions.
When the worm attacks a victim II usu-
ally takes hold between the toes, and the
victim gathers the impression that he or
she has contracted the ground itch. The
symptoms are similar. The itching is
caused by the embryo of the worm as it
passes through the skin, seeking the
blood.
The worm is not visible to the naked eye
when 1t attacks the feet but after reach
ing the intestines is easily discerned with
the naked eye The picture presented
herewith shows the actual size of the
male and female worms In color they
are almost perfectly white.
The first symptom exhibited by the VIC
times of the worm is profound anemia. In
a child, the skin becomes pale and as
sumes a yellowish hue. In severe cases
the victim exhibits shortness Of breath
and dropsy.
The life of the worm is eight or ter
years. and a victim will suffer for this
length of time, unless the parasite is ex-
PEELED by treatment. The damage wrought
to the average patient during these eight
or ten years is awful to contemplate. Usu-
ally. children cease to grow from the time
they become infected, and frequently they
retain the appearance of youth long af-
ter they have reached their maturity. The
malady has a similar stunting effect up
on the mind
Referring to the diagnosis and treatment
Of the disease, here Is what the state
board of health has to say:
Diagnosis. There is no disease that can
be diagnosticated with more ease and GER
tainty; the eggs which are shown in fig
ure are present in the feces in great
numbers. and by means of microscope
they can always be detected with GER
tainty. At the laboratory of the Georgia
state board Of health, in the capitol at
Atlanta, every arrangement has been
made for carrying out examinations for
this disease, and reports of the results,
free of cost. will gladly be made to any
one desiring them. 1t is only necessary to
place about a half teaspoonful of the
feces in a tightly corked bottle and mail
the same, properly packed, to the labora-
tory.
Treatment Of the Disease. Whenever
an individual shows the symptoms above
detailed. an intelligent physician should be
at once called. We have medicines that
act as specifics, and the disease can al
ways be cured in a very short period OF
time"