The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-01
By Dr.. w. A. FLICKER

When 1t was announced ten years
ago by Drs. stiles, Harris and others
that bookworm disease is the most
common affection OF the families OF
our Southern farmers, il was consid-
cred By many newspapers a joke. and
bE other conservative mon, even of the
medical profession. as an cSaggcra-
lion
Observations BY numerous physi-
clans In all the Southern States quick
~ proved the first assertion as lit
orally true
My own observations In the Virginia
counties OF Mecklenburg. Brunswick.
i'unenburS and Greenesville convince
of farmers in that section one or
more members may he found who
either have the disease now or have
had IL in childhood
These little worms. which formerly.
before their Importance was known.
were called stomach worms. are white
and thrcadlikc. about half an inch In
length. and inhabit tho upper portion
OF the intcstines.
There they Hasten themselves to the
mucous membrane, where they remain
rarity buried into II for from iive to
ten years. sucking the blood. destroy
ing The cpithelial lining and giving out
a poison of their own, which still FUR
thcr wcakcDs the patient.
When numerous they do an i'm
ncnse amount of damage. impoverish-
Ing the blood, causing the character
lstic anacmia, salIow complexion,
Weakness anu inability to do a full
days work. and at times mono at all
In children the growth is checked. s.
young man OF twenty TO twenty-five
appearing as q boy of ten TO fourteen
Urls do not change into woInanhood
for from four to SIX years beyond the
usual time. and never attain the rosy
healthy. attractive appearance that one
free from the disease does
When these children are sent To
school Their weakened condition 10
found TO extend to mind as we'll as
body. and they have great dimculty
In making any progress in their
Finally. becoming discouraged and
WITH the parents indifferent. as Is
usually the case they drop out from
In sections badly infected with the
disease family after family is found
Win not q member who can read.
~ wnfle ,9e mGEroe S are more general
whites. they have inherited to a great
extent immunity TO the effects
through the long ages in which their
African ancestors have had IT, II was
through them in fact. that the disease
reached our land
Possessing this immunity tho ne
Sroes have for years. without knowing
why. been Awaiting themselves OF the |
advantage by sending their children to |
school. and moving off as healthy, peo. |
PIC snouid In many rural sections OF
tiiN ''ohti NV WHllcS, through this |
great handicap. have actually dropped |
behind in tho matter of education
Each female worm lays daily from |
1000 to 1000 eggs In The bowels of !
the patient These do not devclop /
there. but must be passed out into tho |
air, where. under favorable conditions. |
they speedily become alive. active and
ready to enter The human subject |
through the skin Of any barefoot ner-
son who comes near
VIC have ready means Of knowing
when they have entered the skin nv
tho characteristic symptom of ground
Itch or toc-itcI.
IT may safely be laid down az n rule
sround-itch during recent years now Il
mas hookworms. few or many, in his Il
BOWEL. sucking his blood and weaken +
ne his body during twenhy-four boure
IF every day.
If he wears shoes or moves to
>lacc whore the soil Is not infected
ma mus gets no new worms the old
gradually die out. and in from five TO
en- years he gets rid OF them. lie
'hfely however. gets entirely rid of
he effects OF early infection.
Any ono may observe gathering
y our Southern farmers, particularly
lie tenant class. from Southsidc VIr.,
slnia 10 the Gulf OF Mexico. and see
md poor bodily development that they
inyc never recovered from the effects
'f thoihookwdrms of their youth even
hough free from them now
Compare these with city bred noo-
Ne Nort with farmers from The Valley
u Virginia or further North, whare