The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-10-14
HOOKWoRM INF'EsTATION SPELLS IGNORANCE, POVERTY APATHY, FILTH


 IGNORANCE, POVERTY, APATHY, FILTH Hookworm disease stunts the growth of chil- dren. makes youths and young adults anemic, destroys destroys ambition ~ and initiative Initiative and retard: the progress of the people. It is hard to judge whether southern communities where hookworm disease prevails are backward because of the hookworm or whether the disease prevails be- cause the people are ignorant, poor, careless Certainty he h cnmpaisn "sanst hookworm that has been carried on by the health depart. ments of several states on the south, in CO., and with professional and nancai aid granted by the Rockefeller foundation, has accom- plished great things for many of these hook worm infested communities. Not only has the hookworm disease been checked and in many communities entirely cleaned out, but the strik. ing object lesson in primitive sanitation thus taught the stupid natives has contributed much toward their economic awakening. Hookworm disease has prevailed more or of the world. For example in Porto Rico 30 years ago 90 per cent of the rural population had the disease. Today, thanks to American problem there.
 Hookworms are round, from one-half to of an inch lons s the rro o. vided with lancets for puncturinE and hooks for cllnging to the skin or mucous membrane. .. oassd in tho there for many years if not destroyed or driven put by suitable remedies. Persons harboring u to thousands; if less than hundred worms 1t Is Q light" infestation; if more than 800 1t is Q "heavy" infestation.
 lnfestation is anemia. The forms constantly suck blood from the intestinal wall, and even If each worm takes only 0 drop Of blood day. daily Such q drain inevitably causes lassitude, pallor (perhaps under tan) and other manifes- tations of anemia, and in children retards
 Hookworms live double Iife-the adult life in man, the egg and larval life In the soil The eggs pollute the soil in districts where the in. habitants have primitive habits. In the soil the larvae are well enough developed to attach goes barefoot. Especially the soft skin be-. tween the toes. They penetrate the skin there the irritation they cause is called "grounsd Emphatic channels into the blood stream and are carried to the lungs. They pierce the walls se so throat when they and so finally reach the duodenum where they lodge. the body directly in drinking water or from soied fingers or from contaminated food. But practically the mode of entrance Is as described I-via the ground itch." Moral: Never go bare- | foot in hookworm country.
 l QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | Cretinism
 Please explain what "cretin' is Will 6 child who has had hemorrhage Of the brair
 
 of development such child can reach? (Mrt E. C.)
 deficiency of the thyroid gland By thyroid feeding or medication such an individual may be made to grow and develop mentally and | physically. It has nothing to do with hemor. II rhage in the brain at birth.
 T MIX, Plain and Fancy
 Son has been drinking two quarts of mill daily. Some one has advised him to drinl one quart of plain milk and one quart of aci dophiIus milk but acidophiIus milk costs 4, cents a quart. (M. R. S.)
 Answer-In my opinion plain milk or or dinary buttermilk or simple soured milk, Is a efficient in every way is Bulgarian or Aci dophius or any other fancy fermented O soured milk product. But if were your son ! physician I'd advise him to keep on taking tn , milk and not mind what Some one" advises.
 The Old Methy.ene Blue Trick
 The company offers to send hee \ | plates, one of copper to be worn on one hee | another of zinc on the other heel. also a sup ply of rheumatism tablets all for $3.5O with | guarantee to drive all rheumatic poison co. J.
 Answer-The tablets probably contain som methylene blue which stains the urine blue Many gulible persons have been persuade such phenomenon indicated "poison bein driven out of the system." t Is old hum tbug but 1t still separates the suckers from tn
 'ironvrirht fa22 John F Dille Col