My epidemiological studies on ascaris and hook-worm infection in heavy snowing area, Tamugiyama, Chida, Kamioguni and other villages in Niigata Prefecture, conducted from 1951 to 1955, have revealed the following facts.
1. Incidence of ascaris and hook-worm infection in heavy snowing area did not differ much from the one in non snowing area.
2. Epidemiological studies on ascaris.
a. The average rate of ascaris infection per year in Tamugiyama village was 23%, during the 3 years from 1952 to 1955.
b. The average rate of ascaris infection per year among schoolchildren in Tamugiyama and Kamioguni villages was 60.4% from 1951 to 1952.
c. The seasonal fluctuation of ascaris infection indicated higher ratesfrom harvest time to winter (from October to January), then became lower.
d. By the mass treatment conducted in every winter, the incidence of ascaris infection gradually decreased from 54% in 1952 to 35% in 1955.
3. Epidemiological studies on hook-worms.
a. Both species of hook-worms were found; however, Ancylostoma duodenale Dubini predominated in Niigata Prefecture, especially in snowy areas.
b. By the mass treatment conducted in every winter, the incidence of hook-worm infection decreased rapidly, from 52% in 1952 to 21% in 1955.
4. By these various investigations, I found out that the speed of ascaris and hook-worminfection (how soon reinfection occurred) was lower in heavy snowing area than those in non snowing area.

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1. Renal function was impaired both in Ancylostomiasis and Necatoriasis. 2. Impairment of renal function was severer in Ancylostomiasis than in Necatoriasis. 3. Positive relation between degree of infection and of impairment of renal function was proved in Ancylostomiasis, but not in Necatoriasis. 4. Positive relation between anemia and impairment of renal function was proved both in Ancylostomiasisand Necatoriasis. 5. Renal function showed a recovery after treatment.

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The chief sign of the so-called “Koshimagari” is lumbal kyphosis. These cases are often found in rural women, and it is regarded as a manifestation of physical aging.But, the details of this phenomenon involve a number of ambiguous points demanding further studis.
As result of our studies on the grade of curvature and the amplitude of mobility of the spine among rural women, we found out that the incidence of the so-called “Koshimagari” showed a marked increase, that the grade of curvature also advanced and that the amplitude of mobility of the spine decreased, after 45 years of age. On the basis of such findings, we presume that the changeslides from the reversible to the irreversible one at around that age.
As regards this so-called “Koshimagari” there are such problems as the diagnostic criteria, method of measurement, etc. Besides, in addition to the endocrinological and nutritional study, it is necessary to try some sociomedical pursuit with special attention to the modes of farming peculiar to Japan. There are such numerous questions yet to be solved, but, while we hope to reconsider the policy of social physical education in general, in the meantime we should like to advise, as one of the effective preventive measures readily available today against the development of such morbid condition, the necessity of instituting a set of gymnastic exercises for rural people which would remedy their curving postures and supplement some physical movements which are usually lacking in their daily life.

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Towards the end of January this year, an eruptive disease, epidemiologically and clinically judged to be Izumi Fever, broke out in the Matsushiro Lower Secondary School. Pupils who fell victims to this disease were as many as 923 persons, corresponding to 62% of the entire school (1491 persons).
While such mass outbreak itself is unusual in the case of Izumi Fever, 55 of such patients had the complication of appendicitis.
The pathogenic agent of this disease is not yet successfully isolated, but many scholars are in one in support of its virus origin. Andthough we do have several reports on the occasional complication of appendicitis in the cases of virus diseases, such mass occurrence is rare.
Results of clinical progress, surgical and histological flndings of the 49 surgically operatedcases among the 55 above-mentioned cases of appendicitis are as follows: 1) considerable hemorrhage inside the appendix lumen and edematous swelling of the local mucosa; 2) existence of necrosis and abscess in some cases; 3) reaction of reticulo lymph cells and slight hemorrhage.

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