The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1910-09-22
HALF MISSISSIPPI HAS HOOK
WORM
Some Districts Sh0zv Ss Per Cent of PEOPLE
Infected Win This Disease.

In the districts of the state. as laid
out by Dr. feathers, in charge of the
sanitary work for the Mississippi board
of health, IS per cent of the people are
infected with hook worm. This is in the
more remote parts OF the state, but even IN
the cities and towns, the infection ranges
from to 10 per cent of the population.
This would be appalling, under ordi-
nary conditions but with the physicians
all over the state, the druggists and people
generally cooperating the field agents
of the board of health in the work it is
not as bad as it appears, nor any worse
than IN other states where the work has
been taken up. Every state in the union
is more or less affected. but the infection
is more general where little or no atten-
tion is paid to sanitation and hygiene.
Reports were made by each of the sew
eral field agents Of the board of health
at meeting here Tuesday, which was
attended ~ Dr. feathers, DR.. S. NJ. Nc
Lean. secretary of the state board, DR..
Harold B. Wood, DR.. Rowan, Virgins;
DIR. C. r. Stingily, Pelahatchie; DR.. r.
N. Whitfield, Florence; Dr. r. w. Hall
and DR.. w. d. Potter, Clinton; DR.. John
Gully, Jackson, and Dr.. Robert Rowland,
Flora.
The meeting lasted for some time, and
every detail of the work was gone into.
The reports showed that during the sum-
mer. about 100 lectures were delivered in.
different parts Of the state, and the atten-
dance at these lectures was unusually good
This shows the people are interested in
the work and they have a great appre-
citation of the good results to be derived
from it.
While the infection is worse in some
parts than others, it is due entirely to con-
ditions In the cities where the sewerage
is good, the conditions are nothing like
as bad as even in the smaller towns,
where they have no sewerage system.
One feature of the work that is 0rati-
fying to DR.. Leathers, Dr.. Mclean and
their associates in this work, is the atti-
tude of the physicians in every place Wis
tied bv the field agents. They offer their
services free and do everything they
can to aid the agents in their work, while
MANY of the druggists have offered to
donate thynol for treating the people OF
their towns and counties. In Jones and
Harrison counties, through the efforts OF
DR.. w. II. Rowan, the supervisors have
passed an order to furnish tbymol for the
people cf those counties
Nest of the country people realize the
serious condition confronting them and
are willing to submit to the treatment.
Two treatments, it is said, will cure the
most serious case. The field agents arouse
interest among the people by making
an address, explaining the effects OF the
disease, the method of cure and how to
prevent it. The agents show no favorit-
ism in the treatment, as all persons are
treated alike by them in this work, regard
less of position and influence.
There are three classes of patients
mild. medium and serious. The mild
shows no external symptoms, but is dag
nosed with the microscope. The medium
is merely a suspect, whose case is also
diagnosed with a microscope, while the
serious is easily recognized, even by the
lavrnan. The disease is easily cured, but
more easily prevented. 1t is caused by
infected soil, due to improper sanitary pre-
cautions. 1t may be prevented by compel
ling children to wear shoes, but better
by establishing a good sanitary condition
around the home.
The board of health is soliciting the
aid of the physicians of the state in its
work, and they are giving their support
in every way That the situation may be
more clearly understood, DR.. feathers is
preparing bulletin, which will be distri-
buted for the information of the general
public. This bulletin will be sent out to
physicians. ministers, teachers, county SUI
perintendents of education and others, call
ing attention to the public health campaign
and enIisting their aid in dealing with this
.1l~ NGsse;ee.r.ns
The situation here, DR.. feathers says
Is not different from other states AL
other states are doing the same thing, and
conditions are not different here, though
abe infection may be more general il