The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-07-14
Campaign Against Hookworm.

DR.. 3. ". Page assisting the State
Board of Health in the crusade
against hookworm disease, was in
Henderson yesterday and delivered
addresses before both the white and |
colored teachers Institutes. The GOLD |
LEAF had a call from DR.. Page and |
learned something OF the conditions
and the work that is being done in
the cure and prevention OF this prev
alent and harmful disease 1t is
found In SO counties, mostly in the
eastern and sandy section of the
| State This is as far as the investi-
CATION has proceeded but it is be-
lieved that but few if any OF the
other counties are exempt. Vance is
among the IS counties where the
| disease is found.
Somuch has been said and written
on the subject that one is almost at
a loss to present it i'll a new phase. 1t
is more prevalent in the South than
in the North and West because the
North is too cold and the West too
dry for the parasite to thrive. The
factors favoring hookworm disease
prevail in North Carolina lnvesti-
CATION shows that in all walks of
life we have people infected with the
disease. These keep the soil polluted
with hOokwOrm eggs which germi-
nate into injecting hOOkwOrm larvae.
The distribution of the disease in
North Carolina in general. Examin-
ations of more than 600 college stu
dents, 33b per cent. OF whom were in
fected, and reports from approx
mately 400 doctors, who have treat
ed more than 5000 white and $50
negro cases, have shown that it pre-
walls generally throughout the State
The skin is the chiefpOrtal by which
, the injecting larvae enter the system,
though probably not the sole one.
, Ground itch" is the usual manifes-
, tation of occurring Infection. Mi
croscopic examinations OF the secre-
, tions usually reveal the eggs when
there is a history of ground itch
within the past ten years. The
, more recent the ground itch the
greater certainty of finding hook
worm disease. This theory was first
demonstrated by Prof Looss who ap-
piled polluted soil to his hand, de-
, veloping ground itch and hookworm
disease rs result.
From the skin, the larvae, micro
scopic in size, enter the blood current
and are taken through the heart and
: lungs, up the windpipe, down the
: throat, finally reaching his home III
the small intestines. Here he sheds
his skin very much like snake and
grows reaching the size of a quarter
to three-quarters OF an inch in length
and diameter equal to that OF a small
hat pin. They do not multiply in
, number here. They live about ten
p years and drain the system of blood
all the while. AS result we find
stunted growth, pale, tallow-like com
q plexion; abnormal appetite; indiges-
, ton; various forms of nervousness
and general weakness.
Prevention of hookworm disease
lies in better sanitary conditions, anC
along this line a vigorous campaign
), is to be waged,-a campaign of edu-
e cation on the subject of public health
r the State Board of Health leading
= in the fight, assisted by local boards
h and county and city health officers
e doctors, school teachers, civic leagues
r and betterment societies, heads o
!. families, &c. The remedy is simple
l. A few doses of thymol, properly ad
r. ministered, easily cures the disease