Hookworm Disease

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

a disease known in many countries and under many names, but ankylostomiasis and uncinariasis are the chief in the medical vocabulary, while popular terms are miner's anæmia and dirt-eating. The malady has its origin in an intestinal worm with dorsal and ventral teeth, with which it holds to the small intestine usually, though it is found in different parts of the alimentary canal. The eggs are ejected with the fæces, and as infectious larva are communicable through the skin or mouth. The disease is prevalent in tropical latitudes chiefly contained within 33 degrees N. and 33 degrees S. of the Equator. The American variety of the disease Asia, and Africa, in the symptoms as well as in the parasite which causes it, but in both the Old World and the New it is found in all degrees of virulence. The geographical distribution of hookworm in the United States is confined to the Southern States and is heaviest in Virginia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Mis- Sanitary Commission for the Eradication of Hookworm Disease has treat- HOOKER, THOMAS, an English ed 539,107 cases in the Southern In the Old World the prevalence of the disease under favoring conditions may be judged by the degree of infection. Thus in Samoa 70 per cent. of the population is infected; in south China 75 per cent.; in India 60 to 80 per cent.; and in Ceylon, 90 per cent. In all these cases there is perceptible both a physical and mental deterioration, usually proportionate to the duration of the malady, its prevalence in childhood resulting in stunted growth and feeblemindedness which are permanent. In serious cases the body becomes emaciated, the muscles shrink and relax, there is abdominal protuberance, the skin becomes yellow or colorless, with swelling of the hands and feet. Often peculiar peculiar appetites are developed, to eat and the patient has been known nown rags piece by piece, strings, charcoal, resin, sand, clay, wood and chalk. In less serious cases there is a longing for articles of bitter or insipid taste, such as lemons, tomatoes, salt and the like. The disease in mild cases may be lifelong and almost imperceptible. In serious cases death supervenes after weeks or months. The treatment of the malady in the removal of the parasite, consists and drugs such as beta-naphthol and thymol, accompanied with purging medicine, have given satisfactory results.