TREATMENT OF HOOKWORM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18103, 11 February 1922, Page 9

TREATMENT OF HOOKWORM.

DISCOVERY IN SUVA.

PROMISING NEW REMEDY.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. '(Reed. 7-30 p.m.) SUVA, Feb. 10.

An important discovery in the treatment of ankylostomiasis ('hookworm) has been made in the Suva Hospital. Lor somo months past, Dr. Hall, senior zoologist under the United States Government, has been conducting experiments in tho use of carbon tetrachloride on dogs, and found it a perfect vermifuge (agent for expelling worms from animal bodies) for hookworm and other intestinal parasites. In tests on human beings lie removed 98 per cent, of worms with one dose. Tho treatment is still in the experimental stage, but it has great promise. This is the first known practical use of tho new remedy. The results are of great economic importance, as the cost of the treatment is one-oighth that of the old mothod.

HOOKWORM INFECTION.

MENACE IN AUSTRALLA

SYDNEY, Jan. 31.

The danger of hookworm infection reaching serious dimensions in Australia, and generally undermining tho health of the community has been brought to light by recont investigations through the Northern Rivers district of New South Wales The disease was proved some time ago to exist in the Ipswich district of Queensland. Ipswich is a mining centre and tho damp workings of mines are found to bo eminently encouraging to the development of the scourge. In America work <?f tremendous benefit in tracing the ramifications of this subtle horror has been done by the Rockefoller Institute. Recently, with the assistance of the Federal and State Governments, t f ne Rockefeller Institute has been carrying on investigations in Australia. Work is at present in progress in New South Wales. Dr. Sawyer, who is representing the institute, has been through the Northern Rivers district, and his discoveries show that tho scourge is a real danger, especially in some of the lower lving areas. Tho general percentage of infection is not alarmingly high, but, when it is stated that out of 6029 school chil dron examined in certain defined districts no fewor than 352, or 5.8 per cent., were infected, it will be seen that the danger is not one to be scouted. The percentage of cases was highest in aboriginal and half-caste schools. During tho investigations it was discovered that from time to time teachers had been puzzled at the unaccountable backwardness of one or two pupils under their charge. The children appeared to be living in healthy surroundings, and thero was no congential reason for their poor physical and mental developmcnt. They wero simply regarded as being unaccountably defective. Many of such cases are now established as due to tho dreaded strength-sapping hookworm.