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


. entering the body has been demonstra
ted in actual experiment upon human
beings and lower animals Having
reached the site in the body where i
selects to reside, the worm sheds it,
skin twice more, becomes mature anG
mates. The eggs have been known Il
appear in the stools six and One-hali
weeks after experimental skin infec'
tiOn.
EFFECTS PRODUCED.
The effects produced vary with the
intensity of the infection and the con-
ditiOn of the patient. Some individu-
ais are more able to resist the invasion
of disease than are others, and this re-
sisting power of the individual deter
mines to large extent the intensity
of the symptoms produced in Hook
worm Disease.
Cases may be divided into foul class
es: Light, medium, severe and ex-
treme, depending upon the severity of
the symptoms. The light cases are
those in which the infection may not
be suspected until proven by chance
miCrOscopical examination. These cas-
es are very numerous and very import
ant from prophylactic standpoint, be-
cause they are entirely capable of pro-
| ducing severe grade of infection in
others and of keeping locality infect
ed They should all be treated, and it
is the duty of every individual living
in community where the disease is
known to exist to have an examination
to determine whether he is or is not
infected. Medium cases are those
showing definite anemia and other
symptoms of sufficient severity to
bring the patient under the care of
physician. These generally yield to
treatment in the most gratifying way.
Severe cases are typical, and the ''dirt
eaters" are in this class. They are
suspected as hookworm subjects even
by the laity. The extreme cases are in
danger of death at any time from the
severe anemia and other causes depen-
dent upon it. There is no sharp aud
distinct line to be drawn between
these classes, as they grade impercepti-
bly, from one class into the other
OF course, there are many more of
the light cases in Tennessee than there
are severe cases, but there can be no
doubt that great number of the child
rem and young adults in our State are
suffering from an infection of sufficient
severity to cause them to be classified
with the severe cases. The work al
ready done by the representatives of
the Board of Health has established
the truth of this statement. AS mat
ter of fact the number of extreme cas-
es already found is believed to be large
enough to Justify the expenditure of
time and money thus far made, and
those classified as medium which have
already had treatment are very numer-
GUS.
SYMPTOMS.
In describ bing the symptoms only
those cases which suffer from a grade |
of infection of sufficient severity to
produce active manifestations will be |
considered. Such cases have been |
found in every community where the |
field men of the State Board of Health !
have had opportunity to demonstrate
them.
General Development If the infec-
tion occurs before puberty it is very
likely to retard the physical and men
tai development of the child. A boy
or girl of sixteen may present the
body and mind of one of eight or ten
years of age, and young men and wom-
en- of t" enty may appear to be not
more than twelve or fifteen.
Skin The skin of hookworm pa
tients assumes marked pallor because
Of the condition of the blood, which
we call anemia. In ola cases the skin
may be found dry and wrinkled. Per-
'riratiOn may be scanty or even almost
suppressed. in the early stages
IF the disease "ground itch" is often
iOund upon the feet or ankles, and
arge proportion of all cases will give
| history of having had, at some time,
his symptom. 1t is frequently noted
hat scratches and minor wounds upon I
he skin heal very slowly. !
Hair.-While there may be normal {
development of hair upon the head
here may be a marked scarcity or ev
N entiIe absence of hair upon other l
)arts of the body where it is normally
resent.
Oedema. .-Oedema, or swelling of !
he face, feet, ankles, or, in extreme |
,ases, of the whole body, may be pres 8
mt. This swelling sometimes disap- c
)ears very rapidly after treatment and |
be weight is temporarily reduced as a S
esult of the loss of the accumulation |
# fluid which is responsible for the
yelling d
Expression The face may wear an /
of anxiety or one of marked t
tupidity unchanged by any sort of oc- f
urrence. e
Tuorax. The ribs are, of course, /
ely prominent in emaciated cases, C
he shoulder blades are prominent L
nd the patient presents stopped I
ppealanCe. Ii
Digestive System. The appetite f
lay be very light or may be raven il
us. Sometimes there is complete alb 6
ence of desire for food, and again it Il
lay be next to impossible to satisfy il
be cravings of the patient. The de- o
elopment of desire for abnormal t
rticles is often noted and this is why o
'e hear the sufferers from Hook worm &
disease spoken of as ''dirt eaters" t.
emons, pickles and other sour sub b
.ances, salt, pepper, sour milk, chalk, e.
lay, ashes, tobacco. mortar and plas- II
'r, sand, gravel, sticks, decayed wood. Il
aper and cloth are some of the delica- o.
es appealing to the appetites of these I'll
Heartburn and the &C et
lmulation of gas in the digestiv. a
act are common. The stomach may
3 much enlarged, and it is not un ty
sual to find that pain and tenderness al
! the region of the stomach are devel a
1a1 UhpD presSura iS ,nadn ovor this fe