Omaha daily bee., 1922-03-11
POISONING THE WORMS.

The old women and the twentieth
century doctors are In serious dis
accord on the worm question,
Ihe old women say that worms m
children do a great deal of harm
Iheir bill OF indictment starts witt
rnhNhlsions and includes picking sl
the nose. sriiting the teeth. fever
ahl miscellaneous symptoms,
Iha twentieth century doctors
deny the truth Of the indictment
ana dispute THE details OF the nlie-
cations, They tell of eases in which
,heh or these symptoms was In evl.
dsnce but IN which no worms were
ever found, and Of ether eases IN
Nhich worms were found Ia great
numbers but IN which there were
none or the symptoms noted above
In reply the old women tell of n
Few eases of spasms which got we'll
when worms were removed by tho
use OF worm medicine.
Tho twentieth century doctors
come back by telling of cases Of
spntms which were not improved by
the uke OF worm medicine.
All IN ALL the case OF worms--old
women attorneys for The worms,
twentieth century doctors attorneys
against-needr Hight. As we'll ms we
can size the situation up. here is the
lay:
A large proportion OF children
have worms.
A fair proportion Of adults are
likewise infested.
As a rule worms result from cat
Ing food containing worm eggs.
In some species the worm larvae
are otherwise taken into the system.
The higher the standards of
cleanliness as 10 food and fingers the !
less the prevalence rate Of worms.
Among the insane and the feeble |
minded the prevalence rate is very |
high.
There arc no certain symptoms of
worms.
The commonly accepted symp-
toms. such as itchy nose. grinding of
teeth. and commissions. are mislead-
Ing more often than otherwise. The
only certain sign is the finding of
worms or eggs in the stools.
Examinations with the unaided eye
Of three or four specimens OF stools
is enough for diagnosis in most
cases.
At least one specimen examined.
. ,
TO taking worm medi-
line and cathartic.
For diagnosis of hookworm ex
animation of stools by microscope
or eggs, larvae. and sometimes
worms is necessary.
Worms are sometimes the cause ,
II picking at the nose. grinding of :
he teeth. itching, fltful appetite,
More frequently these
must be viaerwise cx- .
lained.
If it is not feasible to make :
roper diagnosis. in some cases it is
est to give worm medicine to chill
rem about once a year. :.
1t has been proved that the larvae !,
{ Ordinary round worms bore :,
lfnugh tlie. tissues much as do the Il
lryae " f4china.
This caGses thumps In pigs and !,
ogs.' =
1T may cause cough and perhaps T
light heniorrhage or pneumonia in
a bies.
However, there is no proof that \
rival round worms boring through :,
lie tissues do great harm in chill e
ren. 1t has been proved that hook
orns.. round worms, tapeworms, Z
nd whip worms secrete poisonous b
distances which are absorbed into Ii
lie blood of the host.
These poisons tend to produce
lemia and cause slight hemorr- II
ages. ir
This is the principal way in which 81
orms in the intestines do harm.
Unless the number of worms is
rye the degree OF poisoning is not G.
eat except. that, due to hook 81
orms. - A,
In order to decide which is the n
st worm medicine to use it is nee
sary to know what kind Of worms
e present. The best; all -arQund u,
orm medicine is .wormseed:@ r'~f -
But wormseed is not very effective, -
.ainst tapeworms, thread worms, =,
whip worms. -, &..,,-e lS'".- -