Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-11-26
t may have the appearance of tallow.

IL lHdy nave Iue appearance vi tdlloW'
8. The eyes are usually somewhat
affected; the pupil is often abnormally
dilated, the inside of the lid is often
pale, and the bloodvessels in the
'swhite" Of the eye are not distinct.
4. The person is generally anemic,
that is to say, the blood is pink and
watery, and the general appearance of
the body pale and unhealthy.
5. There is often a marked Irregular
ity of the heart-beats and generally a
tenderness in the pit of the stomach.
Pressure on the skin over the stomach
will generally aggravate this pain. If
pressure is brought to bear towards the
lower margin of the ribs, the pain will
be felt by the patient on the right side
Generally there is no pain on the left.
The abdomen is often swollen, and
indigestion is frequent.
6. The patient complains of general
lassitude and inability to perform hard
or long continued labor. The mind is
soon wearied and mental work of any
sort is burden. These symptoms
may vary with the person and with
the seriousness of the Infection.
In addition to these definite symp
toms there are number of others which
occur frequently in hookworm disease.
The presence of these latter symptoms,
however, unaccompanied by those
classified above, is not positive evidence
of the disease. Swelling is sometimes
noticed, particularly in the head and
neck, with marked pulsation in the
viens of the neck. The patient may
likewise complain of dizziness, and of
ringing or buzzing in the head. FIRE.
quent headaches are usual. Moreover,
swelling in the limbs is often observed,
with occasional stubborn ulcers or sores
ON the skin.
Underdevelopment is marked sec
ondary symptom. Children afflicted
with the severe form of the disease will
appear several years years younger
than are, and the hair under their arm
pits, ETC., will make its appearance
much later than is usually the case.
In girls, menstrual disturbances are
frequent.
The appetite varies. In some cases
there is an abnormal craving for sour
food, such as pickles, while in others,
the appetite is depraved. Children
acquire the habit of eating dirt, clay,
resin wood, cloth, plaster, etc. Indeed,
'sdirt-eating," now recognized as a
symptom of severe hookworm infection,
long baff1ed medical practitioners as an
inexplicable depravity. 1t is to be
noted finally, that the various symp-
toms, cited above, are usually more
marked in summer than in winter.
DISEASES WHICH ARE CONFUSED WITH
HOOKWORM.
Hookworm is most frequently
mistaken for malaria, though, as we
have pointed out, they are due to utter
ly distinct causes. In hookworm, the
regular chill is seldom encountered.
Furthermore, in malaria the under
Development, the tenderness in the
stomach, and paucity of hair is, of
course, not observable. 1t may happen
that a person suffering from hookmorm
infection has malaria, but the symp-
toms can generally be distinguished
with little difficulty. In some in
stances milder forms of typhoid fever
may be confused with severe hook
| worm infection.
THE CURE FOR HOOKwoRM DISEASE.
Despite its severe symptoms and its
dangerous effects, hookworm disease,
in its early stages at least, can be cured
without a great deal of trouble and
with but very little medication. The
remedy is thymol, which can be Sc
cured at any drugstore and which can
be administered by every doctor. Il
given in proper dose, thymol will re-
suit in marked and immediate i'm
provement, and if the dose is repeated
, two or three times, it will almost GER
talnly bring about cure. In
deed, the rapid improvement of persons
suffering with hookworm, once the
treatment is begun, is little short Of
marvellous. The condition of the blood
improves from the first; the general
health is better; arrested development
proceeds at once; and the entire mental
, and physical condition of the patient
is greatly benefited.
THE PREVENTION OF HOOKWOGD DIS
EASE
The prevention of hookworm disease
is almost as easy as its cure. The mos
important single factor in preventing
its spread is the construction and main
tenance, on every farm, of suitable
privy, which is used always by every
member of the family. AS conditions
now are on many Virginia farms, only
, the female members of the family U.s.
the privy. The men generally pollut
the soil about the stable or the barn, O
o even about the house. In this manne er
9 if any member of the household has tn
o disease, the soil becomes infested will
the eggs at regular intervals. Soone
. or later, all the members of the famiE
= will become infected, and, as they re
,, infect themselves from time to time
a they have no chance of recovery.
G any person on the farm shows an
# symptoms of hookwOrm disease, ever
: precaution should be taken against tn
" pollution of the soil. Every one on tn
= farm should be examined for the pres
" ence of the parasite and those havin
20 the disease should be properly treated
r. In this connection, it is highly impor