The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-06-19

you may detect a slight palensss The
severe type present all the symptoms
of profound anemia and is easily
recognized. The severe type is in the
minority but when one of this kind is
found a greater number of the mild
and medium types prevail. While this
is a disease of the country and not of
the city and is more often found
among the poorer classes; some also
find it among the better classes in the
cities and often in the most unexpect-
ed quarter. 1t is the joy of every boy,
whether rich or poor, to go barefoot in
the summer and to paddle about in the
mud and many who live in the city
spend their summers in the country
and while there contract ground itch
and In this way have the mild or me-
dunn class of the disease.
Matching of Eggs Produces Larvae.
By the use of the microscope one
can watch the eggs hatch and the de-
velopment and the habits of the larvae.
When the egg matches the small larvae
which energies seems to consist prin-
cipally Of head and stomach, the other
end of the organism being short in
proportion. At this time the larvae is
very sluggish under all conditions and
no amount of disturbance seems to
arouse it.. For the next three or four
days it grows very rapidly, this
growth being marked In the yosterior
half of the organism. Also at this
time the first sheath appears and with
it the organism becomes extremely
lively at times, especially If disturbed.
This rapid movement will last for a
few moments to half an hour or more
and then they will lie perfectly still
for corresponding length of time
with their bodies perfectly straight,
after which they resume their lively
motions. When lying still, one who
is not familiar with this trait would
suppose them to be dead but close OBJ
servation will readily differentiate
them from the dead larvae When
placed in drop of water there is a
tendency to migrate to the edge of
the drop where they squirm about as
if trying to get beyond its confines.
The larvae may be kept alive for
three or four months. If larvae three
days old are placed in drop of water
it will be observed that while their
mobility is something wonderful as
they thrash about in the water, yet
are unable to make any progress be-
cause the water does not offer sutfi-
ClSHI TtSlSJSlCe W
movements. However, if placed in a
layer of soil $50 that they can be seen
with the microscopy their sinuous
NOV aneats give them wonderful speed
with the foothold, as it were, which
they g2in by zigzagging between the
grains Cf sand or particles of earth.
AS they dart about it may also be
noticed that when they encounter any.
thing which blocks their progress the
head remains more or less fixed
against one point and the violent mo.
ton of the body gives the appearance
as if it were trying to force it's way
! If the larvae are in water their most
| vigorous efforts produce very little
effect on the obstruction but if there
| is sufficient soil against which they
can brace the body, as it were, they
! sometimes brush aside the obstacle
or force their way through small
openings.
Bearing these observations in mind
it can readily be seen that it would
not be easy for the larvae TO force
their way into the ducts of the glands
when they are applied to the SKIN in
water, but if they are mixed with soil
! their power of penetration would ne
! greatly increased. .-
Where Ground Itch Starts.
! Ground itch nearly always starts be
tween the tees. Wber, a barefoot per
son steps in mud it is forced up be
tween the toes where the skin is thin
and tender and the pressure of the
adjacent toes holds the soil il direcl
contact with the skin and the condi
tons are thus made favorable tor .-.s
passage of the larvae from the soil tc
the skin.
In determining how these larvae gel
! into the body 1t is necessary r us
first to know where they exist in the
natural state. To ascertain this we
begin with the passage of the egg tc
| the adult worm. We find that this
parasite is practically confined to the
! human family; that when matured L
| is located in the small intestines, thai
the eggs are discharged from the body
| in great quantities and that these eggs
hatch when mixed with damp soil
| However, if these eggs become DRIED
their vitality is destroyed; they are
also killed by freezing. When the
eggs do hatch we find that this takes
place in twenty-four hours if the water
| is warm, but more time is required i
the water is cool.
! From a consideration of the fact:
We would naturally deduce that, i
they do gain access to the body BY
way of the skin, this must take place
| during warm rainy weather or il
places where the ground is constant!
moist If an investigation of cases o
ground itch is made. it will be founC
that it occurs as a result of wadins
about barefoot in the mud and espe
cially if it has been raining for more
than a day previously.
The first symptoms of true grount
itch is an itching usually between thu
toes and this becomes more and mor'
intense until it is excruciating. Chill
dren often. cry all night during an at
tack. The itching begins immediatel!
after wading in the mud and small
spots are noticed at the points of irri
ltation. These spots rapidly change [,
Ivesicles which may become continent
forming large blisters and at the sam
time there is usually considerable
dwelling in the underlying tissue Tn
lyeSipIoS hIiSferS are uSually Tllr