The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-01
University Students Were In
 fected With Hookworm
MOST CASES VERY MILD
Disease Belongs Primarily to the Coun- try-PreIiminary Report VIII Be Supplemented By Fuller
 One Later


 Carolina. While away pr. Graham com pieted his preliminary report on the in yestigation of the hookworm among stu dents of the university which was made by the department of biology last spring The results of the investigation are rad ically different from what people have been led to expect
 The report follows:
 "The lecture of Dr. c. w. Stiles, sci entifc secretary of the Rockefeller sani- tary commission, given at the Univer- sity of Alabama, stirred up great deal of interest and prompted, at-the lec- turer's suggestion, a request from a large number of students that a microscopic examination be made by the students of the department of biology to determine the occurrence of hookworm. I therefore organized the young men, taking the ad- vanced work in the department into a body of examiners. The members of the 'Hookworm Corps (the students very promptly bestowed the title) deserve es- pecial recognition for their services. My thanks are due Messrs. J. J. Durrett, M. s., instructor in biology; A l.. Bar ker, R. S. Barrow, J. Cunningham, A. c. Jackson, W. D. Johnson, J. E. Noo- jin, W. B. Slaughter and E. W. Wads- worth.
 ''The work was begun on May 6 and continued by the corps until May 20 During this period POT cases were ex- amined. Since that time I have made at the request of individuals or of physicians 23 other examinations, so that have on my books now record of 230 cases, of which 97, or n.17 per cent, showed infection with the hoolSworm dis ease; two showed the eggs of taenia sp, and one eggs of ascaris lumbricoides. Of POO students examined, 90 showed hookworm infection; 45 per cent of them were mild cases and could not have been detected except by microscopic examina- tion-in many cases, not even then, save by the application of Bass special meth cd for the diagnosis or mold uncinariasis. The college records are not complete on the points occupation of father, but even with these incomplete records not fewer than five of the infected cases are the sons of physicians. This would seem to indicate that the infection was So mild as to escape the attention of even the trained observer of physical symptoms. There was at least one case pronounced by Dr. Stiles as almost cer- tainly free from the parasite, but which, upon microscopic examination, showed the presence of eggs and scores of worms were secured by thymol treatment. mention this to indicate that with the help of Bass method we were working with ap exceedingly fine net, and I feel confident that every case pronounced negative by us was free from this para site. That so large a number of cases was found might justly prompt the in- quiry as to the details of our methods, specifically, whether or not there was any chance for a careless examiner to carry by means of soiled glassware or other wise the eggs of one case into the ma terial of another. Every precaution was taken to prevent the possibility Of such contamina ation. Slides and covers once used were placed in a solution of pot assium bichromate and sulfuric acid, stirring rods and dipping tubes were sim ilarly treated and when not in use were left standing In jars containing strong solution of potassium hydrate. Further more in every case but one of which I have a record of thymol treatment, un- cinaria were found. I re-examined the feces In this case about one week after the unsuccessful thymol treatment and again found eggs I was present during the examination of the whole series. Whenever any of the examiners reported a positive case, l looked at the prepara- ton myself I am very confident that cur results are trustworthy.
 "A very few cases were re-examined after treatment In these cases eggs were found on the second examina. ton, even though the thymol treat ment had driven off dozens of worms. The question seems pertinent: Is it not possible to find something better than thymol for the treatment Or uncinaraSis?
 At the time the examination was made we confined ourselves to the question: Is the individual infected or not? We neglected to secure the facts as to age, weight, height an1 certain physical measurements. It was thought that these could be ob- tained from the gymnasium records and the university office. I have been able. however, to secure the gym nasium record of only 63 of the stu dents examined. This is due to the fact that attendance a the gymna- sium Is required of the freshmen and sophomores only, whereas, the 200 students examined represent, all classes including law students. shall endeavor to make the record complete by securing the data lacking at pres ent It seems advisable. however, to make public the results so far secured.
 "The following Is a tabulated sum- mary of the figures compiled
 Average age of 1S9 men examined, 21 years. months.
 Average of SS men infected, 21 years, l month.
 Average age of 1O1 men not infect ed. 21 years, 2 months.
 Average weight of 34 men infect ed. 134.S75.
 Average weight of 39 men not in fected, 129.37
 "Avarege height of 34 men infect ed, 6S.61 inches.
 Average height of 29 men not ln- fected. 6769 inclres
 Average girth of chest of 34 men infected, 33.44 inches.
 Average girth of chest of 29 men not infected, 39.76 inches.
 Average girth of waist of 34 men in- fected, 29.2 inches.
 Average girth of waist of 20 men not infected, 97.S2 inches.
 Average strength of legs of 34 men infected, AT pounds
 Average strength of legs of % men not infected. 417.76 pounds.
 That the average age of those not in- fected is greater than those infected is perhaps to be expected since the disease Is for themost part contracted during the barefoot stage. In larger series this difference would doubtless be greater than in this instance The frequency curves of the two groups are not very dissimilar
 ''The gymnasium records furnish me