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H ISTORI CAL-EUROPE As far back as 18471 it was believed that "Egyptian Chlorosis" was due to ankylostoma found in the small intestine at autopsy. Subsequent to that time, there have been many reports of the finding of ankylostoma in aniemic individuals and their presence has been believed to have some relation to the causation of the anemia. However, it was not until after work was begun on the St. Gothard Tunnel2 that the significance of this parasite in the etiology of both endemic and epidemic anemias was generally appreciated. Several years before the appearance of a very severe and fatal anemia among workmeni engaged in this tunnel in 1880, Prof Grassi3 made known his dliscovery of diagnosis of hookworm infection by microscopic examination of the feces. This made possible a thorough clinical study of the St. Gothard epidemic. Since that time hookworm anemia has been founid to be a serious menace, not only in the tropics and subtropics generally but also in mines situatedl in various countries of the temperate zone. Perroncito,4 to whom the principal credit is due for establishing the true etiology of the anemia among workmen engaged in the St. Gothard Tunnel, also showed hookworm infection to be prevalent among men employed in various mines of Hungary, Sardinia and South Central France. About this time hookwvorm infection wvas likewise found to be cluite common among brickworkers in Germany. The origin of soil infestment in and around brickfields5 was traced to immigrants (Walloons) who worked in the mines of Belgium during the winter months and migrated to Ger-*The author was engaged as Asst. Epidemiologist by the California State Board of Health when the material for this paper was collected. many to labor in the brickfields during the spring, summer and early fall. In 18966 it was discovered that hookworminfected workmen from certain Austrian mines were carrying the infestation into German mines. Whether or not this was the occasion of the first appearance of the infestment in German mines is not definitely known. It seems, however, very probable that hookworm disease has existed among miners in Hungary,

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