Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-05-06
Confined from page ID

ed il here, who for time were strong
and we'll, have given up their WORK
by reason Of disability due to the in
roads of this disease and returned 20
the Orient. The economic importance
OF this disease to the sugar industry
here is evident
In 1893 In San Francisco an exam.
nation Of a shipload of Indian coolies
was made and it was found that about
80 per cent were infected, and they
established a quarantine against i'm.
migration of that type. Wherever ALI
ems affected with this strange disease
are allowed to enter they become a
source OF and spread the infection Of
the disease.
characteristics of Worm.
THE fully developed hookwoTm is
from three-eighths to one-half Of an
inch long. The young worm is pur-
plish-white thread, while In the fe-
male worm 100 or more eggs are trans
parent under the microscope.
THE disease is found where there
Is a suitable temperature and moisf
ture for the development Of the par
asites, which live entirely in the hui
man being. They are kept alive by
patients suffering from the disease
and there are some as carriers show
ing very little on the outside.
The eggs live in the earth. An
infection may take place through the
skin or through the mouth, in the lat
ter case from contaminated yegeta-
bles. The larvae, entering the foot,
he frNrf MIR
its travel through the skin to the ali
mentary canal and the bloodstream to
the intestines.
Recognition 10 Recent.
"The worm attaches itself to the
mucus membrane of the small intes-
tine with its heok-like teeth and sucks
the blood and eats the lining of it.
! III the meanwhile its poison is dis
tributed In the bloodstream.
I'VE have conducted examinations
for hookyorm at this port for about
three and one-half years, but before
that many thousands were admitted
from the countries within the hook
worm zone without examination for
the disease. The disease is, for puf-
poses OF treatment, of modern recOg-
milton. The hookworm was first dis,
covered in 1893 in case of fatal
anemia and not until 1898 was the
method of infection through the skin
and mouth understood.
After the examinations were In
augnrated here special examinations
were made In Japan and China before
aliens were allowed to embark, but
S-.,.t&. AMI. $50 c3flI f;,,.l 1,,ifo. n ut,.,,
Der Of cases An effort is made to
have an examination made before EN-,
barkation to keep infected persons
| from taking passage, but still We find
cases which may have developed on
the voyage, or while the medicine
given may have acted more as paraly,
sis on the worms they. may have re.
Yiyed after few days and so the
| persons will still be found to be In.
lfected. though for q time apparently
not so.
ron the first boat from Japan ror
which hookworm examinations were
made on December 4, 1912, 10 ous
OF SO Japanese were found to be sur
fering from hookworm. On the last
two boats arriving from Japan there
were, OF the 80 arrivals by the steam
ship Anyp Maru, arriving on the 14th
Of this mouth. three cases, and on the
steamship Seattle Maru, arriving on
the 18th OF this month, out OF the D,
there were found five eases.
Infection In Japan.
"The United States Public Health
Service reports that the infection n
Japan Is largest among the farming
4 class, and H. pretty GENERALLY distrib
i uted throughout the Empire, but their
is no record Of q systematic survey
4 that know of. In Korea about 80 pei
Il cent of the population have hookworn
and among farmers the infection
breaches to 20 per cent In the north
4 ern provinces Of japan the infection
/ is light,/but In the south more prev
j alent- The disease is found in ever,
county of Hiroshima Ken and fama
guchi Ken. The immigration to Ha
Il wall IL largely FROM these provinces.
VI "In 1909 In Yamaguchi Ken there
were 49, cases reported and thi'
a would, of course. not indicate thu
4 number of cases which were no
| brought to the attention of or treatet
Il by surgeons. Some effort is beinf
4 made to improve sanitary condition,
and the water supply, but am un
able to say how comprehensive or sys
tematic an effort is being made t.
eradicate the disease.
Investigation Here Desirable.
4 81 am Of the opinion that there
have been deaths here certified rol
anaemia or dropss which were due Il
heokwofm. The fact Of the matter is
\ all matters concernins immigration
\ apart, il would be greatly TO the al
\ vantage of this Territory il mean:
were provided and steps taken to in
u teiligently determine the prevalence
OF the disease and work toward 1T
n eradication.
d Here we have q high temperatuf'
and extreme moisture and shade, ami
aliens coming from countries Of dens'
population where the feces are uset
for fertilizer and where the feet ant
1 limbs are unprotected for the most o
b the year, so conditions are Favorable
II to the development of the disease.
n CAS- far as the examination for thil