Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1912-11-08
Health News

fieditn news
Richmond, Va, Oct. 80, 1912.
Virginia has recently passed through
an epoch in its public health work
and health officers are rubbing their
eyes to convince themselves that the
report of Assistant Commissioner
Allen w. Freeman can be true when
he stated that in four mountain coun
ties of Virginia, two hookworm in
spectors examined more than twelve
thousand persons for hookworm dis
ease and treated more than four
thousand who were found to be infect
ed
These startling figures, however.
are borne out in the official quarterly
report of DR.. Freeman, which covers
the option Of hookworm dispcnsaries
in the counties of BEDFORD, Fanklin,
Henry and Patrick during the last
three months. Carefully checking up
evaby patients record. DIR. Freeman
finds that the States agents examined
microscopcally specimens from IL,
3Sl persons and gave treatment to
4. 134 infected persons.
In some of the counties, records
have been made which exceed the
fondest dreams of health officers.
Crowds appeared daily at the dispen-
saries. entire families came for
treatment, whole ncighborhoods ad-
journed to consult the physician in
charge. AT Buffalo Ridge. Patrick
County, during the course of single
day. 430 persons came for examina-
ton aud all were given full attention
before the dispensary closed. This
sets II new standard in Virginia and
is regarded as the largest single days
work ever done by n single inspector
in the South.
The percentage of infection dis
closed by these examinations is also
arousing much interest in public
health circles. While the State
Board of Health has never encouraged
the view, there has been belief TINT
Virginia did not face as serious n
problem in dealing with the hook
worm as did some of the other South
ern States. at is quite true, "said
DR.. Freeman yesterday. when asked
for information on this point" that
we are not as heavily infected ns
North Carolina and certain sections OF
the far south, yet the dispensary re-
cords disclose very serious conditions.
IN Patrick county. for example,
our inspector examined 8, TIC persons
and found l. 666 To be infected. This
is ID 3 of the total number examined.
or course, majority Of those who
were examined suspected that they
had the disease and in consequence
figures based on these examinations
will not Indicate the true infection of
the county Yet the record il by no
means reassuring. In many counties
of the State we must c.nduct an ex-
tensive and detailed campaign if we
are to treat all those infected. "
Even when we have treated every
positive cash" DR.. Freeman con-
tinued, "the problem is not solved,
for those who do not take precautions
are almost certain TO become reinfect-
ed. The real solution of the hookworm
lies in preventing soil pollution. Not
until all the people erect and con-
sistently us sanitary buildings can
we hope to rid Virginia of this dis
tressing scourge.
The State Board of Health il loud
in its praises of Drs. w. A. Brum-
field and X. T.. Miller, who were in
charge of the dispensares in these
four counties. Excelling all records
previously made in Virginia, these
inspectors often worked twelve hours
a day to examine the multituds that
came for treatment. eve are proud
of the record made by Drs. Brumiield
and Miller" said DR.. Freeman. land
we fell that they have performed
very great public service. Their work
was most exacting and the conditions
of their labor were hard, but they
made potable success where failure
would have been excusable. DR.. Mil
Ter will open dspensary soon in
Caroline County, and DIR. Brumfield
is preparing for work in the extreme
Southwestern counties"
49,