﻿INTESTINAL HELMINTHIASIS IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AS 



INDICATED BY EXAMINATIONS OF PRISONERS UPON 



ADMISSION TO BILIBID PRISON, MANILA, P. I. 



By David G. Willets 

 (From the Biological Laboratory, Bureau of Science, Manila, P. I.) 



The results obtained in examinations of inhabitants of the 

 Philippine Islands for evidences of intestinal parasitism have 

 shown that the percentage of persons infected with any one 

 species of organism has varied considerably. For instance, 

 infections with Trichuris and with hookworms have ranged 

 from 6 to 88 and 8 to 54 per cent, respectively. The investiga- 

 tions yielding these results have been made in distinctly circum- 

 scribed localities and chiefly among laborers. An accurate idea 

 of the average prevalence of intestinal helminthiasis in the 

 Archipelago could be obtained only by examining persons from 

 all parts of the Islands, of all ages, of both sexes, of all occupa- 

 tions, of all social classes, and of all races. Opportunity for the 

 examination of individuals from all parts of the Islands is 

 offered more or less completely at Bilibid Prison. The inmates 

 are, however, mostly of the lower classes of society and children 

 are rarely admitted. The examinations here reported were made 

 upon 7,843 adult males upon admission to the prison. All cases 

 which had been in the institution previously were excluded 

 from the series for the reason that some of their infections 

 may have been contracted in the prison. The Filipinos of the 

 series number 6,416; the Chinese, 1,427. About 300 females 

 were examined, but this number is too small to permit their 

 inclusion in the report. It was intended originally to extend 

 this investigation over several years, in order that a large series 

 of cases might be secured. The work has been interrupted 

 permanently, however, and therefore a report is made of the 

 results at hand with the realization that they must be interpreted 

 with caution. Three phases of helminthiasis among adult male 

 Filipinos and Chinese in the Philippine Islands are considered. 

 First, the average prevalence of helminthiasis in Filipinos; 

 secondly, its geographic distribution among Filipinos; and, 

 thirdly, its relative frequency among Chinese and Filipinos. 



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