Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-08-30
ERADICATINe THE HOOK.wORM.

The active work of graduating the
hook worm disease in Georgia has
been begun under the direction of the
scientists employed by use of the funds
donated for that purpose by John D.
Rockefeller. Savannah is the place
where the two representatives employ
ed by the Rockefeller fund have taken
up the work.
The fact that the work has been be-
gun in Savannah does not mean at all
that that city or Chatham county isl
the chief seat of hook-worm infection
in Georgia. The work of those who
are engaged in eradicating the disease
is necessarily largely investigative in
the beginning, and in this manner the
work has been begun That hook
worm exists in Chatham county-as it
doubtless does in very nearly every
county of the state-has been known
for some time.
Under the name of the "hook-worrp
disease" or the more terrible medical
term, uncinariasis, the malady is not
familiar to the people of the state. But
it is known that the ground itch"
with which children are oftentimes AZ
tiicted, is but the initial state of the
disease, it will readily be seen that al
great many parents have Witnessed the
early stages of the disease among their
own children.
Tie germs of the disease become
lodged in some cut or sore or other
favorable spot on the foot of child,
where the first stages of the develop
ing hook-worm are passGH. 1t is the
opinion of a distinguished health Of
ticer who resides in Georgia that near
~ every Child who has had "ground1
itch has become internally infected
with the hook-wOrm The manner in
which the disease germs are trans
formed from the foot to the intestines,
where they attain their maturity, isl
very simple Nearly every boy who
has ground Itch will scratch the ia
Iected spots on his feet. If a boy is i
given the habit of biting his fingerl
nails he is sure to introduce the hook
worm germs from his feet into hi.5l
system
Armed as the h0ok-worm is, even in
its undeveloped form. with tinyl
hooks at its mouth. it fastens itself to
the membrane of the upper intestine.
in this way robbing tile human being
that is its host of large part of tha
nutrition that would normally be del
rived by such person. This is the ex-
PLANTATION of the palHd face. the del
pressed feelings and aenemia. which
accompany TIE disease and which araI
the surest indications of it. The hook
worm itself is a wiry-like parasite. ay-
eraging from a half inch to an inch in
length, while it is not larger than q
knitting-needle i'll size The presence
or large number Of parasites in the
lntestines is what produces the worst
and most fatal forms of the disease.
1t is undoubtedly true that thousands
of people in the South as we'll as in
other sections of the country suffer
from the ravages of the hook-worm
and still live out what would PRACTICAL
ly be their allotted days. On the 9th ar
hand, it is undoubtedly true that many,
weakened by the ravages of the para-I
Isites, succumb to tuberculosis anal
many other diseases that find easy
Judgment in their system. Many vic
timsc of the disease undoubtedly drag
out hstless and miserable existence
rendered almost helpless by the para
site.
Even without the work of tie Rock
efeller scientists, there is no reason
why the people of the South should su
fer from hook-worm. Indifference on
the part of those offlicted is the chief
timing which has to be combatted. The
treatment is simple and inexpensive.
1t requires only two or three days to
eXpel the parasites from the SYSTEM.
the total treatment not costing more
than dollar or two. In fact, the ac-
tual medicine employed in the treat
ment may be obtained for about fifty
or seventyfye cents.
The Rockefeller scientists should 10
much good by arousing inBrest in the
eradication of the disease and by Civ
ing free treatment to those wLp are
unable to pay for it, They will likely
visit different sections of the state
while they are at work, especially
those sections which. they find by ir-
vestigation most need their presence.
On TIE side Of the Improvement of pub
lie health, the Rockefeller donation
should do much good to the people of
the South, who are duly grateful for
this benefaction of the Oil King.