The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-11-02
100000 To FIGHT THE
HOOK WORM DISEASE
John D. Rockefeller Announces Gift to be Used In
Effort to Eradicate Dreadful MaIady Which
is so Widespread

"Mr. Rockefeller wrote to the COM
New York, Oct. &c. 1909.
Gentlemen:
sFor many months my representa-
tives have been inquiring into the ma
ture and prevalence Of nook worm
isease and considering plans for
mitigating it's evils. I hav delay ed
action in this matter only until the
facts as to the extent of the disease
could be verified and the effectiveness
of its cure and prevention demon
strated.
'The wide distribution and the Sc
rious effects of this malady, particu-
larly in the rural districts of our
Southern States, Ust pointed out by
DR.. Chas. Wardell Stiles, of the L. $.
Public Health and Marine Hospital
Service. have now been confirmed by
Independent observations of other in
v~estigators and physicians as we'll as
by educators and public men of the
South.
knowing our interest in all that
pertains to The we'll being of your fell
low men and your acquaintance with
this subject, / have invited you to q
conference in the hope that it may
lead to the adoption of we'll considered
plans for a cooperative movement of
the medical profession, public health
officers, boards of trade, churches,
schools, the press and other agen-
cies for the cure and prevention Of
this disease.
Of you deem it wise to undertake
this commission / shall be glad to
be permitted to work with YOU to that
end and you may call upon me from
time to time for such sums as may be
needed during the next five years for
carrying On an aggressive campaign,
up to a total Of one million dollars.
"While it would be a privilege to
act in any movement which offers as
uranc of relieving human suffering,
it is a particular pleasure to me to
feel that the principal activities of
your board will be among che people Of
our Southern States. It has been my
pleasure Of late to spend a portion
of each year in the South and ! have
come to know and to respect greatly
that part of our country and to enjoy
the society n friendship of many Of
its Warm-hearted people. Tt will
therefore be ali added qualification
to me If in this way / may in some
measure express my appreciation of
their many k~indnesses and hospitali-
ties.
Every truly,
(Signed)
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER"
The reply signed by all the mem
bers of the commission was as fol-
lows:
New York, Oct. &c, 1909.
Mr.. John d. Rockefeller, New York
city.
Dear Sir:-Your generous offer to
Jay such q sum as may be needed
during the next five years up to a
total of one million dollars to carry
on a scientific and popular campaign
for graduating hook worm disease
has our heartiest appreciation and we
accept your invitation to administer
this trust with a keen appreciation
of the opportunity that you give us
to do a great public good.
W have today taken steps for or
ganization and Incorporated for Drac-
teal work and have named this board:
The Rockefeller Commission for the
eradication of the hook worm disease.
"The hook worm so often lowers the
vitality of those who are affected as
to retard their physical and mental
development, render them more sus-
ceptible to other diseases, and in sec
tons where the malady is most prev
alent greatly increase the death rate
from consumption, pneumonia, ty-
phoid fever and malaria. 1t has been
shown hat the lowered vitality OF
multitudes long attributed to malaria
and climate, and seriously affecting
largely due in some districts to this
parasite.
"The disease is by no means con-
fined to any one class; it takes It's toll
OF suffering and death from the we'll
TODD as we'll as the less fortunate. It
is a conservative estimate that two
millions people are affected by this
parasite. The disease is more COM
mon and more serious in children Of
school age than in any other per-
sons.
widespread ard serious as the in
lection is, there is a most
ing outlook. The disease can be
easily recognized, readily and effect
lively treated and by simple and prop