PROPHYLAXIS l6l 



enlisting the services and sympathies of the classes 

 infected and awakening the interest of all classes in the 

 prevention of this preventable disease. The detailed 

 methods would differ if it were proved that the usual 

 method of infection was through the skin of the legs. 

 If that were the case, the plan of making all labourers 

 dip their feet and legs in Barbados pitch or some other 

 substance that would adhere to the skin and deter the 

 larvae from penetrating it would be sufficient. The use of 

 boots no doubt would protect, but for coolie labour would 

 be impracticable. In mines where the hands are likely to 

 be soiled these also would have to be protected. If intro- 

 duced with the food the. prevention of any chance of 

 introduction of particles of earth into the food after 

 cooking, and thorough washing of the hands before 

 partaking of food, should prevent infection. The rational 

 prophylaxis applicable, whatever the manner in which the 

 larvae enter man, consists in so disposing of the human 

 excrement that the eggs or young larvae are destroyed 

 before they have any opportunity of entering man. 



The conditions under which infection is most certain 

 are those in which defaecation is allowed to take place 

 broadcast on the surface of the earth. Even in a dry 

 climate the amount of moisture in the faeces is sufficient 

 both to allow the larvae to live, and also to sufficiently 

 moisten the earth underneath for the larvae to escape into it. 



In cane-fields and mines where there is always abundant 

 moist earth or mud the conditions are still more favour- 

 able to the larvae, as in this moist earth the larvae develop 

 to a certain extent and may remain alive for months. 



Unregulated, superficial deposition of human faeces 

 must be prevented or ankylostomiasis will be prevalent, 

 wherever the temperature of the ground is sufficiently high. 



Deposition of excrement in shallow cesspits is prefer- 

 able. In some places larvae of certain Muscidae (Sarco- 

 phagidae) are rapidly deposited on the faeces, as living 

 larvae. Where these larvae are numerous, as they are in 

 open cesspits in many places, any fresh faeces are at once 

 ii 



