RF Annual Report - 1935 - The Rockefeller Foundation

44 THE ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION
to evaluate the effect of sanitation with boredhole
latrines by studying worm parasite infestation,
but as the survey proceeded it supplied
in addition a knowledge of the distribution of
various parasites over the country as a whole.
It revealed the differences of infestation level
which might occur even within small areas. It
indicated the natural variability of infestation
level from year to year and with the different
seasons of the year. From this survey, which has
extended over a period of six years, a good idea
can be obtained of the helminthological or worm
parasite infestation in the country.
For the past five years the Foundation has
also been cooperating with the government in
Egypt on the problem of schistosomiasis. This
is a disease caused by parasitic worms of the
genus Sckistosoma} which enter the skin in larval
form from infested water and invade various
organs, causing severe inflammation or irritation.
The intermediate host for ScMstosoma is a snail.
Before the problem of schistosomiasis can be
solved, it is obvious that the snail problem must
be understood. Little has been known about
snails as carriers of disease, but the work has now
reached the stage where it seems that canal clearance
offers considerable hope for ridding irrigation
canals of snails. Control of the snail and
thereby of schistosomiasis lies uppermost in the
© 2003 The Rockefeller Foundation