Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-09-25
GREATEST ~.
HUMAN FAMILY
PreventabIe Disease if Proper
Steps Are Taken In
H.. Early STAGES.


people are to be attributed to hook
worm disease.
"Hookworn disease is caused by an
animal parasite. the hookworm. which
belongs to the family of round worms
or nematodes. The worm is a stron-
gyle, closely related to the sclerosto-
ma, causing the verminous aneurisms
and collie in the horse and to the cape
worm of fowls. The worms live in the
small intestines of human beings, apes
and other animals. Two species or va
rieties cause disease in man and are
commonly spoken of as the old world
and the new world hookworms.
THE hookworm enters the small in
testine of man by two routes. 1t may
infect man through the ingestion of
infected water or food. the accidental
ingestion Of infected earth from soiled
hands or the intentional eating Of earth.
There is a class Of people found in the
southern states the geophagi, dirt eat
ers or earth feeders) who deliberately
eat soil as a regular portion Of their
dietary. and when such soil is infected
with hookwcrms they. of course, get
the disease.
Causes Dirt Eating.
ION the other hand, there is another
class of dirt eaters in whom this habit
does not develop until hookworm dis
ease has developed fully in them. In
this latter case the earthly matter is
eaten in obedience to an instructive
craving and brings relief by mechani-
cally loosening a number Of the para
sites.
1.-The second portal Of entry is
through the skin, where the first mani
%festation of the disease is known as
ground itch Of the south. 'pani-ghao'
of the tropics or punches Of the Cor
nish miners. The worms enter the
skin, are carried by veins to the heart
and lungs, crawl from the lungs up the
air passages or tubes to the throat and
then descend through the gullet and
stomach to the small inteStineS. En-
trance by the skin route is. of course.
most common in people who go bare
footed. as tie poorer classes in tropical
and subtropical lands and %orienta!
coolies. who work in rice fields. Occa-
sionally the disease is air borne.
when the worm reaches the intes-
tines it attaches itself to the mucous
membrane by means Of it's hooks and
sucks blood until it becomes engorged.
1t may then temporarily release its
hold and become reattached. making a
fresh wound in another place.
Causes Continuous Bleeding.
''The damage to the victim is accom-
plished through the loss of blood. the
production Of poisons by the worm, in
lection OF the minute bleeding spots by
other disease germs and direct impair
ment of the structure and function of
the bowel wall. The parasite not only
abstracts blood from the intestine. but
it secretes a substance which prevents
the CLOTHING Of the blood, and thus
there is continuous bleeding and loss
of blood from many small wounds
The parasites may live in the intestine
for years.
THE principal symptoms of hook
worm disease are progressive anaemia.
dyspepsia. colicky pains. dropsy. per
versions of taste. as dirt eating: lasSi-
tude. breathleSsnesS upon the slightest
eXertion. dizziness, lemon white color
of the skin and enlargement of the
heart. liver and spleen. When the dis
ease attacks children mental and bod
ly growth are stunted. and a tishlikc.
staring expression Of the eyes is to be
observed.
"HOokwOrm is a p~reventable disease
First steps in the prevention consist in
an enforcement of proper sanitary con-
ditionS. the use of sanitary latrincs in
sufficient numbers and compulsory reg
istration Of all cases Of the disease
with the proper health authorities. All
new miners should be compelled by
law to undergo a careful medical ok
animation. and infected miners should
not be permitted to work. Such regu-
lations are at present enforced in Hun
gary. Systematic examinations should
be made of all cases Of anaemia in Ia
bOrers working in mines. tunnels and
other large excavations in order to de-
tect the disease as early as possible.
Only boiled. well filtered or chemically
treated water should be drunk.
Prophylactic Measures.
Green fruits and vegetables should
be washed carefully before being eat
en-. Miners should under no circum-
stances be allowed to work barefoot
ed. and people. especially children,
should be prevented from wading or
bathing in water that may be infested.
A 2 per cent solution Of common salt
is said to kill the larvae promptly. and
an occasional sailing Of the ground Or
small bodies of water not utilized for