The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-12-17
RURAL SCHOOLS AND HooKWoRM.
Disease Said to be Responsible for Much
BackwardneSs.


That hookworm disease is responsible
Tor lack of progress in many country
schools; that it can be eradicated, and
that the rural schools are now taking
the lead in the movement to destroy
this and other handieaps to good health,
are some Of the conclusions OF bulle-
tin by DR.. John A. Terrell on Rural
school and Hookworm Disease just is
sued for free distribution by the United
States bureau of education.
"Hookworn disease is one of the most
prevalent, most insidiously harmful, and
most completely preventable diseases
known to man. declares DIR. Terrell. 1T
causes human suffering and economic
waste altogether out of proportion to
its apparent death rate. Many ills that
have been attributed to mental and NOR
al weakness of whole bodies OF people
are now definitely known to be due to
this infection, and durable with its cure.
Its eradication is one of the most inn
portant and pressing problems before
the people OF the southern half OF the
United States and other semitropical
lands.
I'm combating hookworm disease it
has been found that the rural school is
the greatest medium for the spread OF
the infection and the most important
protective agency against it. In some
schools investigated the infection has
been found to be 100 per cent-the teach
er and every pupil a victim of the di |
sease. Records OF the international |
Health commission show an average in
lection among rural children OF school !
age for whole counties running as high |
as 20 to 50 per cent, while in some sec
tions OF Virginia, Kentucky, North Caro- |
lima, Tennessee, Arkansas, and other
states the disease is less widespread, I
With 10 per cent. or less of the school
jopulati on infected with hookworm. The
general average Tor all the children ex-
AHMED is 40 per cent OF the infection.
III i through the rural school, whence
he infection comes, that the remedy
must also Tome. The measures neces-
AIRY for permanent control Of hookworm
disease are health supervision, health in.
uuction, and perfect sanitation The
ural school can aid in health supervis.
on; il can supplement and drive home
Iealth instruction and above all il can
each good health and clean living by be-
ng itself a model Of sanitation for the !
No matter how energetic J
national or state campaign for eadi. Ii
alton may be; no matter how many n
asses OF hookworm disease are cured for a
he time being, unless the school aud +
maintain q constant ygi r.
luce in behalf OF positive measures for d
God health. permanent control of hook 4
.orm or any other disease transmitted a
y soil pollution will be impossible
Hook worm disease, like typhoid f.. L
er, is due 10 careless disposal OF human i
Ncrcta Once schools and dwellings in /.
luntrv districts are provided with sani- i,
iry privies of one tyne or another :
lere viii be little danger from hook 4
orm. y
a study OF the hookworm problem :,
as shown not only the need Tor saui-
ny privies but the need for more sde- 4
nate sanitary supervision by compc- al
MT medical oilicrrs There should b. n
every community a capable super !.
tondsut of health deeotiug hi, whole !.
me 10 public health work. "a
Frequent and systematic instruction =,
the public schools iu the elements OF
rsouai aud community hygiene H. Ia
cess w for permanent control Of DE- !,
ase. When the citizens Of a communi- a
are taught from early childhood the /,
oessity for the care of health. thcy will
I'd no urging to provide expert health 4.
prrv-iop and sanitary prities in every :.
immunity E
-Tbe campaign against hoekvorm d. -
s-e is a campaign 81 education. and Ia
is right that II should b. vsred in -
p public schools