The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-11-04
WHAT DIR. r. III. LEWIS SAYS
About the Hookworm Appropriation
Of a Million Dollars BY Rookie
feller.

Of a Million Dollars BY Rookie
feuer.
DR.. R. H. Lewis. OF Raleigh. one
Of the most noted doctors of the
State, formerly Secretary of State
Board of Health, expresses himself
on the subject of the million dollar
gift Of Rockefeller for "the study. ex-
pertinent and elaboration of meth
DDS for the eradication Of the hook
worm disease" as follows, in part:
II was pleased at his graceful way
Of putting 1t and more than pleased
at the personnel of the commission
to administer the fund. was not as
much surprised as I would have been
had ! not been in confidential CORE
spondence with DR.. Stiles on the sub
ject. For year or more he has had
very much at heart the hope that
some wealthy philanthropist would
make just such bequest, and to DR..
Stiles effort in bringing the subject
to the attention Of Mr.. Rockefeller
and his agents in philanthropy have
no doubt we owe the bensfaction.
take 1t for granted that DR.. Stiles
will be the executive officer Of the
Commission. and II SO. his hearts de-
sire to devote his life to this work
among our people will be fulfilled. I
sincerely hope SO. and in addition
that the Commission will decide to
make Raleigh headquarters. There
are many reasons why 1t is the most
suitable place. $3.50.
Another thing that pleased me
was that the money was to be spent
in the fight against hook-worm SOLE
ly and not to be spread out so as to
include other important sanitary
problems. One Of the great advant-
ages flowing from the bequest will
be its indirect educational effect in
emphasizing the subject and its great
tmportance-its paramount import
ance. as shown by that one disease
having been single out as the one
most deserving of attack-even more
so than tuberculosis. at least In our
Southern country.
do not understand me as belit-
Ting the tuberculosis problem, as
that Is and probably will ever remain
our chief sanitary question, but be-
lieve a million dollars spent exclus-
lively for the cure and prevention Of
| hookworm disease will do more to
promote the public health In general
| in the South than the same amount
| devoted solely to the anti-tubercu-
losis campaign. Hook-worm disease
by sapping the vitality through the
constant loss Of blood incident to It,
lets down the bars for the entrance
of tuberculosis and many other dis
eases.
Theoretically its cure and proven
ton is simple and easy, but practical
~ it Is a most difficult proposition.
As DR.. Stiles says himself, 1t will take
q generation at least to accomplish
lit. Like all similar problems 1t Is an
| educational one, and I was struck by
the wisdom displayed in the constitu.
ton Of the Commission In placing sc
'large a proportion Of our leading ed
lucators upon 1t.
| "You will observe that I have as
isumed the importance of the hook
worm question as matter of course
Some few people. simply because
they are not informed, may be dis
posed to belittle 1t. but the way o.
the hook-worm in North Caroline
and the South is so plain that thu
wayfaring man, though fool, neet
not err therein. AS I have said else
where in the past. 1t Is, in my judg
ment, the bane of the South. In con
Guiding an editorial on the subject II
the Health Bulletin for November
= 1908, said:
While full and accurate stats
!, tics are not yet available. we never
theless feel sure that DR.. Stiles
within bounds in his estimate tina
33 1-3 per cent OF the white rura
population of the South. belongin
TO the class referred to, are athlete
: with hook-worm disease. the esser
tial feature of which is anaemia. N
L purer strain Of Anglo-Saxon blood e.
. lists in America than courses throug