Hookworm Infection.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1922, Page 1

Hookworm Infection.

MENACE IN AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, Jan. 31. The clanger of hookworm infection reaching serious dimensions in Australia, and generally undermining the health of the community, has been brought to light by recent 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 the damp workings of mines are found to be eminently encou.-a to the development of the scourge. In America work of tremendous benefit in tracing the ramifications of this subtle horror lias been done by the Rockefeller Institute. Recently, with the assistance of the Federal and State Governments, the 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 the scourge is a real danger, especially in some of the lower-lying areas. The general percentage of infection is not alarmingly high, but w|ien it is stated that, out of 6029 school children examined in certain defined districts, no fewer than 352, of 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 the 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 there was no congenital reason for their poor physical and mental development. They were simply regarded as being unaccountably defective. Many of such cases are now established as due to the dreaded strength-sapping hookworm.