Abstract
Since 1961 public health surveillances on the health of peoples in the rural districts in Wakayama Prefecture were carried out by M. Shirakawa, one of the authors, for a long time.
For three years since 1968, health check and medical examinations were performed to the peoples in 5 towns and 3 villages: Kôyaguchi-chei (town), Katsuragi-chô, Nogami-chô, Kibi-chô, Kokawa-chô, Hanazono-mura (village), Ryajin-mura, and Kitayama-mura in Wakayama Prefecture.
The results obtained were as follows:
1. After the examination of specific gravity of whole blood, hemoglobin, hematocrit, specific gravity of serum, and serum pi-otein, anemia were found in high level, especially it was evident in Tsuegayabu areas of Kôyaguchi-chô, Shinjô areas of Katsuragi-chô, Nogami-chô, Ryûjin-mura, and Kitayama-mura. Furthermore, infection rates of such intestinal parasites as ascaris, hookworm, whipworm were remarkably high.
2. Incidence rate of anemia of the peoples in Kibi-chô, Kokawa-chô, and Hanazono-mura were relatively low, and infection rates of intestinal parasites in these regions were very low.
3. The incidence rates of anemia in the vectors of the eggs of intestinal parasites in their feces were observed highly than in the rates of the vectors of eggs in the anemia.
4. As to the blood pressure, hypertension of men and women increased with ages, especially hypertension of women increased after 50 years of ages.
Regional incidence of hypertension were evident in Tsuegayabu areas in Kôyaguchi-chô, Shinjô areas in Katsuragi-chô, Nogami-chô, Kibi-chô, and Ryûjin-mura and these districts are located in highland and surrounded by mountains and craggy peaks.
5. Such pesticides as EPN, NissOl, Bygit, Fussôl, Parathion, Kelsen, Elsan, BHC, Blastcidin S, and Endrin were mostly used in these districts.
Intoxication by these pesticides occurred at the rate of 25.9% in Shinjo and Tsuegayabu areas, 11.6% in Nogami-chô, 16.9% in Kibi-chô, and 30.8% in Kokawa-chô.
