Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-08-08

4
= and difficulty in breathing may be pro
. duced. Palpitation is frequent symp
: tom. The pulse is generally found t,
t be fast and no relation to the tempera
5 ture is to be noted.
Blood. The anemia is the all i'm
} portant symptom of Hookworm Diseas,
and is responsible for the development
in the disease of many of the symp
toms describe above. The blood Of
the hookworm patient is reduced in
quality because of the decrease in the
number of the red cells and the hemo'
globin, two of the most important ele-
ments. There are also other changes
in the blood, discussion of which is
not within the scope of this article.
Most of the evil effects of the disease
are brought about by the destruction
of the essential elements of the blood,
and it is this, too, which renders the
infected more susceptible to other dis
eases.
Nervous System. The mental devel-
opment of children is often greatly re-
tarded so that they are slow to learn.
1t is hard for them to grasp facts pre-
sented by their teachers and their effic-
iency as students is greatly reduced.
Headache and dizziness are common ;
joint pains are often complained of +;
mental lassitude is frequently noted
and children may be very timid and
emotional
! Muscular System The muscles may
be very soft and weak and the patient
is easily tired, being compelled to rest
! frequently from exertion In the alb
sence of pronounced symptoms this
| tendency to tire easily and to shirk
work may be attributed by the parent
or teacher to laziness, and this is why
the disease has been called ''lazy dis
ease As a matter of fact, this appar-
ent laziness is nothing more nor less
than the lassitude produced by illness.
Genital System In those cases in
fected before puberty tt development
of the genital organs may be greatly
delayed. Menstruation may be delay
ed for several years, may be very ir-
regular and even absent.
Other symptoms the direct result of
anemia are present, ana these do not
vary from those produced by anemia
from other causes. The conjunctivae
may be dead white and all the mucous
membranes exhibit a paleness varying
in degree with the severity of the an
emia. There may be dilation of the
pupils, pulsation of the blood vessels
in the neck, abnormal sounds about
the heart, and other evidences of the
low state of the blood
IN TENNESSEE.
1t is desired to impress upon the
reader that the description of Hook
worm Disease above given applies to
many cases in Tennessee. 1t is time
to awake to realization of the fact
that we are suffering from the deleter-
ious effects of this preventable disease
upon our.children and young men and
women. The State Board of Health is
not yet in position to say just how
many of our people are infected, but
it can be said, with the proof at hand
that there are many cases ofHookworm
Disease in Tennessee of sufficient Sc
verify to make ineffective much of the
efforts of our teachers, and much of
the expenditure of money in our
schools, and much of the labor on our
farms
1t may be that to relate the details
of a few cases that have already come |
under the observation of the workers
of the Board of Health will convince
the reader that Hookworm Disease is
prevalent in Tennessee and that relief
ought to he, and can be afforded
A boy eighteen years of age, born in
Overton County, and whose present
home is in Pickett County, was admit
ted to one of our schools when twelve
years old The diagnosis of Hookworm
Disease was made upon him in March,
1910, at which time he weighed 81
pounds. This boy, during his school
life, had been slow to learn, was list
less and inattentive, did not play with
his fellows and was understood and
Three doses of thy
mol, administered at intervals of about
One week, caused the expulsion of for
Jy five worms, and the Improvement
in the young man was immediate and
marked. He has gained in weight and
height, is now interested in those
ihings which generally delight the
leart of boys of like age, runs and
1lays with his fellows, showing endur-
lnce equal to theirs, and his mental
development has kept pace ith his
bodily growth. Other cases n this
ame school nave shown similar i'm
after treatment.
Another case was in a boy of nine,
IN orphan dependent upon his grand
parents, whose home is in Whit, Coun-
". This little fellow had been con
ined to his bed fol the greater part of
ZACH day for about three years. He
lad been treated for malaria and had I
consumed large quantities of patent
common history empty 3
)atent medicine bottles are found in l
arge quantities about the homes in
ected with Hookworm Disease, and it c
s very common to hear the patients }
ay that they have had malaria for a
ong time. The diagnosis was made
n this case by an agent of the Board /
f Health and treatment was admins q
cred with the result that a number I
f hookworms were expelled After !
he first treatment this child was able !
D get up, and had not spent day in q
ed since. The treatment was repeat 5
d three or four times, and about one b
lonth after the first treatment the lit /
le fellow walked six miles up the side i
one of the steepost mountains in i
he State to see the writer, and return Z
to his home in the same way that L
fternoon. r
A young man seen in Overton Coun- s,
Y in October boasted that he could DO q
5 much work in the course of day I
) any man could do, whereas, only a II
, " Sel ks bafOrn ha yyaC en+irolv Nv O.