Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1912-10-18
THE HOOK WON DISEASE.
Its Cause, Prevention And Cure.

Worm disease. This disease is caus-
ed from a small intestinal parasite
from ] to inch long, about the size
of small hair PIN in diameter, of a
dingy white or brownish color.
The adult worm is found in the
small bowel attached to the lining
! membrane. There may be present
in the bowel only few or as many
as two or three Thousands, here the
worm lives it's natural life, which is
from to IL years. The worms live
by sucking the blood of the person
infected, each worm sucking about
one drop of blood day.
| In order to obtain the blood they
attach themselves to the lining mem
brane of the bowel, wounding this
and leaving small ulcer, lessening
secretions, causing more or less in
digestion. These worms also inject
into the circulation a toxin POISON"
which is very depressing to the pa
tient. From this poison and inabil-
ity to obtain the proper nourishment
from the food taken. and the con-
slant loss OF blood brings about this
condition which often causes death,
but more often form weakened and
depraved condition of the body, opens
the gate to other diseases as con-
sumption, pneumonia. typhoid fever
etc, and increases the death rate of
these diseases.
Hook worms never multiply in the
body. They go through two distinct
stages-one stage in man, the other
in the soil or earth The Hook worm
lays her eggs, they leave the person
through the passage from the bowels
and reach the soil. here the egg goes
through 2 or 3 changes developing
or Matching and forming the young
Hook worm or Larvae and remains
in this condition for period varying
from several days to six months,
| ready to enter the skin OF some per-
son or taken in bv mouth and devel-
oping into the active adult worm.
Thus the ever recurring cycle from
man to soil (egg) and from soil LIAR
vue) to man.
The disease is always contracted
| ITOul sui III OuC vi bWO w dy
Fist by the mouth, the young worm
or Larvae are taken in by the mouth
either from drinking surface water,
as spring or branch water or by eat
| ing raw vegetables or fruits, as
strawberries, lettuce, onions. radish-
es etc. Second, and by far the great
est mode of infection is the skin IN
lection: these larvae enter the skin,
generally of the feet of the barefoot
ed boy or girl, enter the SKIN and
cause an eruption, commonly known
as ground itch etc. The larvae pass
on through the skin, enter the circu-
lation, finally reaching the small bow
ell, where they develop into the adult
worm, taking AZ to 20 DAYS to com
plete this circle, About 80 per cent
of cases are contracted this way.
The symptoms are so numerous
and varied till only few of the most
pronounced will be given. A mild
case may show no symptoms of the
disease, but one frequently suffers
frfom the common ailments with
which people complain. The individ.
uals have slight headaches more or
less indigestion, sluggish and ex7
press themselves as feeling 'out OF
sorts. +" Often spoken of as recurr-
ing bilious attacks. The severe cas-
es symptoms more pronounced, and
have their beginning in childhood,
and the individual while reaching
maturity in years is dwarfed in body
and mind. The face is pale and the
skin dry. Many cases have an ash
en- or yellow complexion, which may
show tinge of green. The appear
ance is often spoke of as wax like. ,
The blood is thin, lips pale and the
eyes are white and of dull expression
eyelids often pulled and dark rings
under eyes. Hair is dry and at times
lifeless and 10 the male the beard is
late in making It's appearance. The
shoulders dropped and shoulderblade
prominent. Always have more or
less indigestion. abnormal appetite.
And often have cravings for some
articles as pickles. vinegar. green
fruits and often times to eating dirt
Theae is shortness of breath and
person easily tires. In advanced
cases, find chronic ulcers especially
of skin which hea! very slowly if at
all. The mind is dull and the child
is back ward at school and Indifferent
about work or play. The child fails
to grow and often appears only 10 or
Is years old.
Ia the advanced cases have heart
kidney troubles, dropsy etc. and now
the condition is serious and demands
heroic treatment or it will soon end
in death. These cases are often
treated for something else and the
true cause never known. The treat
ment of this disease is simple, sure,
quick and is not dangerous il direc-
tons are followed. In fact only 6
doses of the medicine cures the ma
/ iOrity of the cases.