The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-03-26
DR.. BYRD ON
THE HOOK WORM
ASSISTANT STATE HEALTH Of
FICER TALKS TO STUDENTS OF
FLORIDA STATE COLLEGE FOR
WOMEN.
Special to the Journal.

Tallahassee, March 25.-Dr. Hira m
Byrd, of Jacksonville. assistant state
health officer, was in the city on Tues.
day for the purpose of delivering a
lecture on the hook worm to the
faculty and students of the Florida
State College for Women. DR.. Byrd
is most enthusiastic on the subject
and foresees in the suppression of
this disease a vast improvement in
the health. morals and financial we'll
being of his fellows.
On account of the small space af-
forded by the college chapel Dr..
Byrd's audience held comparatively
few of the towns-people, but those
who attended were representative of
the intelligent and influential classes.
The lecture was illustrated by
stereopticon views showing the de-
velopment Of the hook worm in all
its phases, beginning when the egg
of the hook worm escapes from the
parent, showing how it matches in
damp earth, forming a minute en-
bryo, how that embryo grows until it
reaches the encyated stage, when it
burrows into the pores of the skin of
barefoot children who walk over it,
and into the hair follicles, producing
symptoms which are known as ground
itch. From here it gets into the sys-
tenn directly through the capillaries
por indirectly through the lymphatios,
and from there it passes into the cir
culation through the heart to the pull
monary capillaries and there lodges
and breaks through into the air cells
of the lungs, whence it is coughed
and swallowed, thereby reaching the
intestines. 1t attaches itself to the
mucous membrane and begins to suck
the blood of the heart. and soon be-
comes an adult worm producing eggs
like its parent did, which in turn are
passed out to produce other worms
How to Prevent 1t.
DR.. Byrd pointed out the extent to
which it prevails throughout the
! world, showing that it peoples the
earth in a zone some 20 degrees
wide, extending about 35 degrees
north and south of the equator He
pointed out that the most efficient
way to prevent its spread is a proper
disposal of sewage. That wearing
shoes prevents individuals from con.
tracing the disease by preventing
them from coming in contact with pol
luted soil. He emphasized the fact
that it is one Of the most important
showed that upon a conservative esti-
mate that about 25 per cent of the
agricultural population of the state
is infected, and that the working ca
pacity of the sufferers Is lowered at
least 20 per cent. and that this lowers
the working capacity of the entire
agricultural population per cent.
The lecturer then pointed out that
agricultural products of the state in
1907 amounted in round numbers to
S46, 100000 and that had it not been
for the hook worm the co.efficient of
labor would have been per cent
greater and that the agricultural re-
turns would have likewise been 5 per
cent greater, and instead of being
only $46,000,00O they would have
been, roughly, S48,500000, showing
| thereby that the state loses at a con-
sentative estimate, IL millions an
nually in labor loss alone. He point
| ed out that the judicial expenditure of
| $4,000 per year would reduce the suf-
| fering by half and would thereby save
one-half the loss. He showed that
the state board Of health of Florida
has an active and vigorous campaign
against the hook worm in operation
| and has had for six months.
Its Terrible Effects.
Discussing the subject from anoth.
err standpoint he showed that the eff
| feet of the hook worm upon the race
! is ultimate race degeneration; that
| acute diseases upon which recovery
| is complete tend to strengthen the
race by killing the weaker and leav-
ing the stronger to perfect its kind
| but that chronic disease weakens the
! individual and leaves him to transmit
| his other accumulated weaknesses to
his offspring, thereby producing a
race of degelerates.
| He showed how malaria has been a
| neglected factor in the history of
! Greece and Rome; that while histori
ans have reckoned with physical and
moral degeneracy as the cause of
their downfall, they have not reckon
| ed with disease as cause of the
| physical and moral degeneracy.