United States Public Health And Marine Hospital Service

In 1899, after the Spanish- American war, Bailey K. Ashford found a parasite in the New World that was widespread among the rural inhabitants of Puerto Rico. Intrigued, he conducted several studies of the anemia caused by hookworm, which was responsible for many deaths in the area, and set up a treatment plan to cure the infected. Ashford set up dispensaries for the Puerto Rican population. Between 1904 and 1910, American officials treated 287,568 hookworm cases, nearly 1/3 of the population (Sledge 129). Meanwhile, in the United States, Charles Wardell Stiles of the United States Public Health and Marine Hospital Service was informed by Ashford of the hookworm outbreak. Interested in the information, Stiles took a preliminary survey†¦show more content†¦Stiles spent seven years trying to get his voice heard, until he finally convinced the John D. Rockefeller philanthropy to contribute to the cause. Rockefeller donated one million dollars to fight hookworms in the south. How ever, the south became outraged with the donation. Warren Chandler even said, â€Å"it is our hope that our people will not be taken in by Mr. Rockefeller’s fund and hookworm commission†. The south did not want help with anything, especially if it was coming from up north. Regardless, the creation of the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission for the Eradication of Hookworms began. The commission had several strategies in order to not only treat people but to also inform them. Surveys went out in certain states as well as newspapers and public notices. If one had hookworms they would be diagnosed at the dispensary then given thymol to be taken at home. The commission also built sanitary privies and tried to improve existing living spaces. However, there was a flaw, only 50% had access to sanitary privies and most people do not have shoes or toilets. The commission was getting rid of the worms inside but neglecting to get rid of them outside. One million dollars were not spent and they came nowhere near to getting rid of the hookworms. The commission did however change the involvement in the federal role in public health. By 1917, the south not only had hookworms but they now had malaria