The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-08-28
Have you Uncinariasis?
Well, There's No Excuse.

whoever has visited the backWoOdS
of FLORIDA, Georgia, Alabama or one
Of the Carolinas, indeed Of any state
south of the Potomac, will appreciate
an article appearing in the Septem-
Der number of Pearson's Magazine
under the title: What bill No. 49,
792 meant to the South" The article
is contributed by Walter P MCGUIRE
and tells of certain Investigations and
deductions made by DR.. Charles War
dell Stiles, chief of the zoology di-
vision of the United States public
health and marine hospital service.
Dr.. Stiles has been one of many
who during recent years have been
studying the origin and cure of unci
nariasis or hook-worm disease, which,
it has been definitely determined, IS
responsible not only for the anaemie
condition of its victims but for the
lack of ambition, the slOth and even
the f1lthiness which generally char
acterize them.
1t is indeed an affecting though at
the same time repulsiVe sight, that
of the pasty-faced, dull-eyed, slow
witted children of the districts We
have named. They are not all so af-
fiicted, of course, but a large per-
centage of them are infected. These
are the so-called dirt eaters" of the
sandy and clay lands, who actually do
delight in swallowing clay, shells,
paper, ashes and even devOUT cloth
ing thread by thread, while a slate
pencil is a special bonnie bouche. For
this sort of diet is a symptom of the
disease depraved appetite brought
about by the presence of the short,
slender parasites that cling to the in
ner coating of the small intestines
and disorder the digestion and sap the
vitality of their victims.
1t is singular how any Of these
bare-Iegged children escape the dis
ease, for the little worms, which are
born in warm, damp earth, enter the
human system through the feet, pro-
ducing what is commonly known as
ground itch"-the first sign of their
presence. They thus get into the
blood. pass through the heart, thence
to the lungs and the larnyx, then 10
the aesophagus, through which they
reach the stomach, and find final
Judgment in the small intestines in
which they flourish like a green bag
tree.
And the effect upon the minds of
those infested by hook worms is no
less marked than the effect upon their
physical condition. The same lazi-
ness in thought faction, or slowness Of
cerebration, makes mental exertion
or alertness as impossible as physi-
cal depression makes all manner nf
manual labor a burden and distress.
The following illustration Of this is
given by Mr.. Mcclure:
Whats your manner" one asks Of
an infected boy.
whats -my-name?" he drawls,
staring stupidity.
Yes, what is your name?"
''My-name' s-John-ny-
After taking a few cents worth Of
thymol and Epson salts in the next
few weeks, the boy responds quick
y:
Whats your nance"
Johnny Jones'"
Thus is indicated the character of
the change that comes to these amaze
mic people. They grow stronger,
they tire less easily, their minds are
more active, they take an interest
in things to which they had never
given a thought, they are more care
full in the ordering Of their simple af-
Sairs and their clothes. they strive TO
be clean. The transformation Of a
home is surprising; the yard is clean
ed, the stock and poultry penned, the
fences mended, the house repaired
and scrubbed, and all the work about
the place is done with more energy
and aVidity.
This thymol is the thing that drives
these sloth provoking parasites from
their stronghold and restores their
victims to the strength of limb and
mental activity which their Creator
intended them to be blessed withal-
From fifteen to seVenty-fve cents