Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1913-10-24

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disease was called AAA, and certain "a
remedies.were suggested Another-an
cient reference occurs in the Sanscrit nn
Harta Samhita, where 1t is recorded nSnsly q 3
that the trouble due to swallowing Dl1DENH
clay. But whatever the ancients knew
about the ancylostoma soon disappeared from the
stock of common knowledge, and it was only in
1888 that Dubini rediscovered the worm which is
responsible for such widespread distress. Some
years later Griesinger associated the presence OF
the worm with profound anaemia in Egypt. Later
on 1t was discovered to be the of tropical
anaemia in Brazil. But it not till the boring
OF the ST. Gothard tunnel in the early eighties that
the disease attracted general attention among the
medical of Europe. The Italian excavators
suffered much from this parasite that increas-
ing interest taken in it. and now, for the first
time in modern medical history, it was recognized
as causing a dangerous and not infrequently ia
tai disease.
Our knowledge of the geographical distribution
of the worm has within the last rs years increased
amazingly and it has at the present time been
found in many countries that may almost
state that ancyostoma an allied genus is gen.
orally endemic Gf one may apply this word to a
worm all the globe between the parallels
81 degrees 81 minutes north and 80 degrees south,
wherever the character and the moist condition OF
the soil favors its presence In Egypt 1t is found
in nearly all the natives In parts of India rs per
cent. infected and it seems to be equally com
mon in Ceylon, the Straits Settlements, Java,
China Japan, the Philippines the farmer parts Of
South America and the West Indies, and in the
warmer parts of Europe and North America In
1902 ancylostoma was discovered in the tin mines
of Cornwall. England probably introduced by the
return of miners from the Transvaal or other sub
tropical districts and 1t has caused infinite harm
in the coal mines of central Europe especially Ia
Westphalia. Once established in its larval state
in the heat and the moisture of mine il Ia very
difficult to eradicate.
AS is usual with parasitic worms, the male is
comparatively Insignificant in number and size
compared with the female. There seem to be
about three times many of the latter as OF the
former and whereas the male measures from six
TO eleven mmeters In length the female meas
ures from seven to fifteen mmeters. Like all
animals that live in the dark these little creatures
are without pigment and are grayish white, but
sometimes they stained red with the blood
they absorb FROM their host. Ancylostoma cannot
shut Its mouth; it is perpetually open. Inside 1t
is provided with certain strongly recurved hooks.
Into this mouth and, indeed, quite long way in
to the gullet is dragged portion of the soft mu-
cous membrane lining of the amentary canal of
the host and it is on the cells covering this that
the worm lives. Occasionally a blood-vessel is
ruptured, and then pnkish tinge is given to the
parasite worm; but according to Looss the blood
corpuscles sre not digested. 1t is believed that
from time It's time the worm shifts its position,
and that the abandoned bite continues TO bleed,
and certainly there are some large glands opening
into the mouth of the worm like those that exist
in the pharynx of the leech which may very well
secrete some anti-coaguating secretion.
A female ancylostoma produces a neverending
stream of eggs oval, transparent, delicatelooking
structures which do not develop very far until
they have passed away from the body Of their
host. Should, however, they reach a'warn1, moist
spot in a mine or tunnel or on the ground. the de-
velopment is rapid that in one or two days
young larva is Matched out, very hungry and very
vigorous, devouring whatever organic matter 1t
can find, so that within week it treDles its sze
but then it is very minute. BY the end OF its
irst seven days of free existence the embryo has
twice cast Its skin, and after its second moult 1t
undergoes "restcure," passing stage compar-
able with the chrysalis in insects. In this cond-
ton IL will live for weeks and months. moving, If
at all out languidly in mud or damp earth.
The question now arises: How do these larvae
find their way into the almentary canal Of man?
Till few years ago 1t was always thought that
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