The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1914-11-25
The Hook Worm Campaign.

Only few years ago it was learned
that kind of worm called the hook
worm was prevalent in our Southern
States. Very little was known about
it, but scientists began the investiga-
tion of it with the result that the dis
ease was not only in what is called the
Southern States, but that Kentucky
was very much infected.
The great millionaire, Rockefeller,
became interested in our State, and
donated large sum of money to as
sist in the eradication of hook worm
from our fair State. A commission
was formed called the Rockefeller
Commission, in order that the work
might be done in proper way, and
that commission required that before
any money from the Rockefeller fund
could be used in any county, the Fiscal
Court of the county must supplement
it by. an appropriation o enough
money to pay some of the expenses of
the campaign that was to be made in
the county. DR.. j. S. Locke, of Bar
louisville, one of the State Sanitary
Inspectors, came down here, after l
had been directed to make a prelimi-
nary campaign in the county. That
preliminary campaign showed that
many people in the county were in
fected by hook worm, and other in.
testinal parasites. DR.. Locke went
before the Fiscal Court, and urged
that an appropriation be made to as
Sist In paying the expenses of the
campaign that he proposed to make.
The court, after sleeping one night,
and praying over it, passed an order
appropriating $3.50 90 for the purpose.
This amount was supplemented by $50
by DR.. Locke himself. DR.. Locke
went ahead and made arrangements
for the campaign at cost of quite
number of dollars, and went home to
get ready to go to work. But the court
had another prayerful night, as well
as hearing from the people, "the great
common people"-and when they met
the next day, the order of the day be-
fore was reconSidered and recended,
and the case was left as it was before.
But DIR. Locke, to show that he was
acting in good faith, came back and
began the campaign on his own re-
Sponsibility. He brought Two young
men with him skilled in microscopy,
and went to work. They examined
specimens from 1000 people, including
the 25O that had gathered up, with
the following reSult-Hook worms 456,
round worms 909, stomach worms 1S4,
and dwarf tape worms 81
This result was revelation to me
[ knew we had hook worms among u.s.
but L had no idea that the disease was |
so widespread. At least one half Of |
all the people of the county are sick
and don't know it. Quite a number
Of the county, however, took advan-
5age of DR. Locke's liberal offer, to ex-
anime them, furnish the medicine, |
treat them, and cure them, altogether,
absolutely free of charge. In the cam
paign which we made, we met with |
much opposition One man took his
out of the school house, and |
would not let them hear the dis
cussion. L suppose he did not want
his children's worms interfered with.
At one appointment many of the chill
iren were kept away, and not permit
ted to hear. Many of the people how
ever, received the containers joyfully,
and we made clean sweeps of many of |
the school districts.
The campaign is still on, but the
people will have to pay for the med
icine used in the treatment Other
wise it is free. have thousands of |
on hand, and will furnish
them to any Wanting them, and send
them off for inspection, and furnish !
the treatment when returned. This
is a good chance for anybody, or every
body in the county to have himself eX-
amined and treated for this annoying
disease. The cost for the medicine
will be but little.
U. L. Taylor