Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1912-05-30


tropical zones OF the world, and
the stamping out of the disease
in Southern Europe, as well az in
our southern states has become a
serious problem. Rur9l life is q
predisposing cause Of hookworm
disease because Of poor sanitary
conditions around the home and
school house. The people Of
small towns are often heavily
infected for the same reason. 1t
is absent wherever the sanitary
arrangements are such as to pre-
vent its spread.
This disease is caused by n
small round worm which meas
about half an inch and
has the diameter Of an ordinary
hairpin. II enters the human
body in a stage at which it is in
visible to the marked eye. usually
through the skin, but it may
enter through the mouth. The
eggs Of the hookworm are laid in
the intestine Of the human being
and on passing from the body
they hatch in from twenty-four
10 iorty-eight hours when the
conditions OF moisture, soil and
temperature are favorable.
When people live under poor
sanitary conditions these young
worms are found in the soil. A
barefooted boy or girl walking
over such polluted or infected
soil may contract the disease.
The small unseen larvae Of the
worm work their way through
the skin in about thirty minutes
and on gaining access to the
blood pass through the body
finally reaching the bowel end
here it grows and reaches ma
tuF.ty. This parasite becomes
attached to the lining OF the
bowel and sucks blood and also
s~ecretes n poison which is alb.
sorbed by the body.
The initial symptom OF hook
worm disease is ground Itch
The symptoms following ''cgound
itch" will depend upon the num-
Der Of worms present and the
strength Of the individual. Toe
number Of hookworms in a person
infected vary from one or two to
several thousand. They do not
multiply in the body.
In a mild case OF nookwo7m
disease there may be 10 physicaI
changes in the person showing
the presence of the disease and
there also may be no specia'
symptoms. The person look.
more or less healthy, may have
a good color, is we'll developed
etc. However in many of the
mild cases, the person suffer;
regularly from Indigestion oil
dyspepsia, may have headaches
heart burn, pains in the stomach
poor appetite and u general bae
feeling.
In a case a little more severe
the person looks 4 little pale, the
skin IS rather cloudy and the in.
dividual often suffers from til,
above mentioned symptoms in {
more aggravated form. Wher.
the case is severe. the person in
fected IS markedly pale, due L
the loss OF blood. often sallow
face pulled, poorly developed
body showing impairment it
growth; there is often undue
weakness, dizziness, Indigestion
shortness OF breath and ever
palpitation OF the heart. TIL,
appetite with some is poor anC
in other cases it IS ravenous
The person looks puny and i.
incapable OF much work.
In q very severe case Of hook
worm disease, the person is ex.
tremely pale, sallow, stunted il
growth, dropsical, ard suffer
greatly from weakness. Tn
mental and physical radae1ty i
! greatly dwarfed. The person
also has headaches, dizziness
great s~hcrtness of breath. sever
palpitation of the heart. pains il
the stomach, heart burn an
often perverted appetite for sue
things as clay, ect. These hav,
been known IS ''Clay eaters.
1t does not require that a person
have all OF these symptoms to b
infected with this disease Tn.
important point is that any per
son who has hookworm diseas
is more or less physically an,
mentally incapacitated.
There is no doubt whateve
about the fact that hookworn
disease is very prevalent in man,
counties of our state, hundred
and thousands of people are in
fected with this malady and it i
preparing the way for other an,
more serious diseases. Tn,
people of Mississippi are bein,
given every opportunity to b.
examined and treated for thi
condition. 1t is important an,
no one should lose the chapc,
who in the slightest degree sus
|, poets the existence of the diseas.
to find out whether or not he ha
1t. The State Board of HealtI
will make examinations free pro.
vided a specimen is sent to tn,
laboratory at jackson, Missis
sippi. The person will be mott
fled confidentially and if founc
infected, by taking from three t,
flve treatments, as a rule, a cur,
is effected. Do you dasi-a No.,