Parasitological Study on the Eskimos in the Bethel Area of Alaska

Abstract

During the summer of 1950, a study of intestinal parasites was conducted at the Alaska Native Service Hospital, Kotzebue, Alaska. In the complete study, 376 different people were examined by one method or all. They came from 19 villages within the area surrounding Kotzebue and extending from Point Hope to St. Michael, and from Little Diomede Island to Shungnak, and ranged in age from 7 months to 75 years. The group included both inpatients from the general hospital and individuals who came for clinical care or x-raying. The only qualifying factor in patient selection was their willingness to submit six fecal samples for examination. Six fecal samples from each of 100 Eskimos were examined. The procedures used were the same as in the Bethel study (Hitchcock, 1950) except that a direct saline smear examination was made only on soft specimens. Perianal pinworm swabs (Jacobs, 1942) were taken from the hospital patients in the morning before bathing or evacuation, and from the outpatients between nine and eleven o'clock in the morning when they brought in their fecal samples. The Scotch tape swabs from the 108 persons were examined until eggs were found or until six swabs per person were examined. The skin test for trichina was carried out on 300 Eskimos using Trichinella extract (Lederle). The readings were observed after 15-20 minutes.