The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-07-16

Ntllt.LI -AS5DtIdl!clI Suii4I4iiiiH CS III
second report Of the Rockefeller San
itlry Commission for the eradication
OF ~hookWorm disease. Statistics are
presented To show that this disease is
prevalent in fifty-tiye countries, and
is a world problem of the most Sc
rious nature. In the United States
the encrvdting disease is found II
eleven states, and there is convincing
clinical evidence hat its northern
reach is rs far as Maryland. The
loss from the disease IS
enormous says the report, and, alone,
is worthy Of the grayest p~recautlon
against its continuance.
Says the statement: The prelimi-
nary surveys Of the areas Of infection
in the United States have been nearly
completed. a definite, uniform survey,
to determine the degree of infection
by counties as agreed on by the State
directors is now in progress; and q
report on the extent of infection in
fifty-four foreign countries has been
published. The practical side of the
work the enlistment of the peoples
interest in the treatment of them
selves and their families-has includ-
cd a wide range OF activities.
Local Aid.
1.-THE aid Of local practitioners has
been secured, county dispensaries
LAY been started, county approl1a-
IIonS oDltlIltd, StilOol inspections
made, free clinics held at set times,
sanitary surveys extended, and the
people have been taught the danger
Of SOIL pollution, by means of Sterop-
ticon lectures. bulletins and folders,
newspaper cuts and notices, exhibits
at state and county fairs, school in
Struction, and efforts to improve the
health service in separate counties.
1.-The exhibit of the preliminary sur
vey includes a series of maps show
ing the degree of infection in eleven
state and statistics Of it's extent in
ten Of these. Infection has been
demonstrated in every ounty of South
Carolina. nearly every county Of Vir-
ginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Mis-
SisSippi and Tennessee, and in twenty
five counties in Arkansas, and twenty
two of the 119 counties in Kentucky.
ct has been shown to exist in east
ern Texas. Florida, California. Neva-
da, oklahoma and West Virginia.
with very strong clinical evidence OF
it's presence in Maryland. The maps
Indicate that the areas OF hOOkWOrm
infection in these states are probably
in belts or zones. the heaviest show
ings being in eastern Virginia, and the
eastern part Of North and South Caro-
lima, in central Tennessee, in the
southern half Of Alabama and Geor-
gia and in the northeastern corner
and southern half Of Mississippi. fol-
lowing. as the repor says. the sandy
coastal plain In the seaboaCd states.
when the Rockefeller Commission
began its work in 1909 the country
people Of the South did not know
hookworm infection as a disease, and
although many Of them were expe-
riencing it's effects. it was extremely
difficult to get them interested in their
own proper welfare. In the ShOra
space OF two years the effect Of mis-
%sionary work has been such that the
people. entirely of their own accord
now flock to the public dispensarie:
and clinics in great numbers.
Lectures Aid People.
During the present year nearly {
million peOple have been reached b!
means of public lectures, newspapel
articles, bulletins, and personal visit
to teachers. The scientific Secretar,
OF the commission. DR.. Stiles, reiter
ates his view that the sanitary priv.
is the great problem of the non
severed districts. and he holds tina
If all our Atlant states wer,
provided with active. properly main
tanned and compensated county healtl
officers the labors Of the present com
mission would soon be at an end, a
its work is even now rapidly passin;
into the hands Of the most intel1igen
Of them.
Through the agency OF the De
pdTtiHent Oh Slate the cOTnn11SSlO
sent TO American representatives i
all foreign countries letters asking 70
on five points, viz: 1
whether or not the country had bee
found infected; ca the geographi
distribution Of infection in the coun
try: (3) an approximate estimate g
the degree of Infection; (4) whethe
1t Is surface or mine infection; 6
what efforts are being made to Grad
cate or relieve it. In addition, CORE
%spondence or the subject was cor
Quoted with physicians and health o!
ficials in foreign countries.
1.-The results show that hookwor,
disease belts the earth in a zone abo,
sc degrees wide. extending from pa
allel Sc north to parallel 80 south lat
tude. Practically all countries b
tween these parallels are infected. {
the ffty-fOur countries found to
infected the disease is confined