PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
PELLICO. 885
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
23 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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given by Hunter, who states that " on many estates half the number of deaths on a moderate computation are owing to this cause."
Dancer, 1819, says that it has become much more prevalent since the large importation of Angola negroes, who are more particularly addicted to dirt-eating than any others. Dirt-eating prevails more in wet than in dry parishes. In the year 1783, John McGillivray, Esq., a provincial colonel, well known for his brave character, brought here from Georgia between three and four hundred negroes, who were for some time employed on the public fortifications carrying on, and were in the highest state of health during the hard labour they were employed in, but when he afterwards settled in St. Thomas in the East they took to dirt-eating. No cause could be assigned for this but their having lost the hope of returning to America; their owner, being as humane and kind-hearted a man as ever lived, did everything to please and satisfy them; he exacted little or no labour from them, he furnished them with the greatest plenty of pork, beef, rice, flour, &c., notwith- To contribute standing they were in possession of hogs, poultry, &c., of their own. to their amusement, he built a dancing room, and furnished them with fiddlers; but the malady was incurable, he lost above one hundred negroes.'
The whole train of symptoms detailed by these writers are highly suggestive, in the light of later knowledge, of hook-worm infection. The worm itself was not discovered until 1888. The disease has insidiously established itself in many agri- cultural centres through the Island, and it is not improbable that new foci have been formed by hookworm-infected East Indian immigrants, who have been brought here in late years. That the disease has not received the attention it merits is clearly shown by the scanty references to it in the reports of the Registrar-General and Medical Department.
31st March, 1911.
2.
M. GRABHAM.
EXTRACT FROM ANNUAL REPORT OF SUPERINTENDING MEDICAL OFFICER FOR YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH, 1912. Hook-worm Disease.
A consistent and steady examination of short-term prisoners admitted to the Spanish Town Prison since October 1st, 1911, has been made by Dr. Peck, District Medical Officer, in medical charge of that institution.
The results are attached, showing the number of prisoners examined and the parishes and localities from which they came, as well as the number proved by ocular examination of the stools to be infected.
Every parish is represented, St. Mary's Parish being easily first.
As regards estates, I have no doubt that the degree of infection varies very much-some estates being doubtless more infected than others.
Coolies are known to import the disease with them and to suffer much from ankylostomiasis. In fact, of the first eight coolies from the last batch landed and examined by Dr. Moseley at Port Antonio Hospital seven were found to harbour the worm.
Until recently, however, it has not been generally recognised that the creole is as badly infected as seems to be the case, and much of the supposed laziness and languor of the labouring classes is, without doubt, due entirely to the fact that they are anæmic and debilitated, owing to the fact that they harbour the hook-worm.
It also be a fact, and probably is, that many cases of deaths registered as
may malaria or undefined fever are due to this parasite. It must be remembered that about 3,000 deaths annually occur from " undefined fever," nine-tenths of which are buried without a medical certificate.
It is a great pity that treatment of this disease cannot be systematically carried out on board the ships that convey coolies to the West Indies. I am quite unable to understand what difficulty lies in the way.
The number of worms passed in some of Dr. Peck's cases were very large- 493 being counted in one case.
The total number of prisoners examined by Dr. Peck and his dispenser, Mr. DeLeon, was 428; of these 313 were found to harbour the disease, and in 115 no evidence of the worms presence was found.
Doubtless, had the microscope been used a greater proportion of cases would have been found infected.
47
Herewith the list as furnished by Dr. Peck, who states that only one prisoner of the above number showed signs of anæmia, and that many were accustomed to wear shoes, while others resided in towns on the sea coast. (It may be that those who wear shoes do so intermittently.)
Gold Street
Pink Lane
Kingston.
Darling Street Barry Street No special address
8
Spanish River... Kivers View
Richmond
Highgate
-24422-2221,
1
Smiths Village.......
1
Johns Lane
Love Lane Slipe Pen Road
St. Mary.
Annotto Bay
9
Port Maria
3
Hannah's Town
2
3
Beeston Street...
1
Windsor Castle
Oxford Street
1
Iterboreale
Georges Lane
1
Brainerd
Victoria Avenue
1
Crescent
Orange Street...
1
Clonmel
1
Nutfield
1
Jacks River
Toms River
Orange River
1
St. Andrew.
Brimmer Hall
1
2
Newry
1
Aleppo
1
Belfield
1
1
Race Course
1
1
Burnt Land
1
2
Mile Gully
1
Glengoffe
Brandon Hill
1
Islington
Rock River
Maryland
Spanish Town Road
1
Kensington
1
St. Christopher
1
Reington
1
Scotts Hall
I
Jacks Hill
1
Carron Hall
1
St. Thomas.
Bonny Gate
I
Grays Inn
1
5
Pleasant Hill Luisiana
1
1
1
1
1
Stony Hill Constant Spring Lawrence Tavern Temple Hall Red Hills Padmore
Cross Roads
Morant Bay Port Morant Trinity Ville Bowden York Yallahs Duckenfield Holland Bay Hector's River..
Rocky Point Dalvy
Port Antonio Golden Vale Breastwork Hope Bay Windsor
4222
Albion Mount
Lewisburgh
Roadside
Epsom
1
1
1
2
Friendship
1
Gayle
1
1
Carlton
2
1
Rose Hill
1
1
St. Ann.
Portland.
Browns Town
4
6
St. Anns Bay
3
Carver
2
Ebenezer
3
Green Hill
1
Clarkson
1
Liberty Valley.
1
Tabernacle
1
Darlington
1
Glasgow
1
Priory
1
Ocho Rios
1
Bamboo
1
White Hall
Windsor Castle Fellowship
Buff Bay Snow Hill
Orange Bay
Low Layton Paradise Skibo
2292122,
Duncans
Trelawny.
Clarks Town
48
Mount Pleasant
Manchester
Halam