The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-05-11
Wooden Shoes Prevent Hookworn,.

That the comparative rarity of hook
worm disease in Europe Is due to the
fact that the peasants of southern
Europe wear shoes with wooden soles,
is asserted by DR.. w. F. Arnold
retired naval surgeon, in the Medical
Record. The larva of the hookworm,
as is well known, enters the body
through the skin Of its victims feet.
To go barefoot In hookworm region
Is to invite the pest; to wear thin or
ragged shoes is almost as bad. Amer
lean machine made shoes, despite their
attractive appearance and cheapness,
are not built to be hook worm proof,
DIR. Arnold tells us. In the first place,
they are lightly put together and do
not wear well. Then-what Is still
more important:
1T is the fact that 1t Is virtually
impossible to make shoes with sewed
welts that are water tight; and II Is
obvious that hookworm larva can read
lily penetrate into any crevice that will
admit water; In fact, II Is probable
that their powers of active movement
may enable them to enter in places
where slight hydrostatic pressures such
as affect shoes and the force of capil-
larity would not enable water to go.
Still another good proof Of the inef-
fectiveness OF common shoes may
easily be verified by testing their per-
viousness to sand--as is done daily in
most parts Of Florida. Not only will
the participate grains Of sea sand be
found In abundance inside OF best
shoes, but the much more finely d.
vided, black organic matter that per-
vades most Of the sand in that state
after II has weathered for some time,
will be quite noticeable both upon the
stockings and the feet.
Furthermore. the question Of the
nervousness Of sewed shoes to water,
of la ySy org N ad 1Nyr
OF the persons employed In the tanning
and dyeing trades; for they almost
always wear, while at work, shoes with
wooden bottoms. 1t Is true that these
wooden bottomed shoes have soles that
are thicker than could be made exped
iently of leather. whereby their wear
ers get the advantage of the additional
elevation while at their sloppy work.
But the vamps Cor uppers) Of the
wooden -soled shoes are tackled into
place, and they are thus made water
proof. ! assume that leather Of ordi-
nary body is larva- proof. but. it may
not be. Obviously, great advantage
would be secured by those who are
exposed to hookworm infection II they
would adopt securer footwear.
"The southern European peasantry
and many domestics and cognate
laborers Of both sexes use these
wooden. soled shoes; They DO not in
German clogs. They are indistinguish- '
able from ordinary shoes, especially
those for women. at a glance; and the
only modification in use is that they
are large enough to accommodate a
sort Of a slipper. made usually Of soft
kid, to prevent excessive wear upon
the stockings from the unbending
wooden sole. They cost about the same
as the shoes usually worn by working
people, in spite Of the duty now levied
upon them on importation. Should
they prove too noisy for use In schools
by the pupils. this fault is overcome
by adding sheet rubber soles and
heels.
If It be possible to popularize the
use of such shoes In this country,
do not hesitate to predict more eff
cient protection from hookworm infec-
ton. Every up to date practitioner in
the south can illustrate from his own
experience instances in which new
corners thither have suffered hook
worm Infection; and. in the absence OF
direct proof OF infection by ingestion
of hookworm larva defec-
tive footwear must be blamed for
slich Infection"