I recently listened to an audio lecture from "Great Courses" on hookworm. In 1909 7.5 million people in southern states (nearly 40% of the population in some areas) had hookworm. The American hookworm was discovered in 1902 by Charles Stiles. It was called the laziness disease because it made people anemic and they didn't feel like doing much. John Rockefeller spent millions of dollars to educate the people and doctors and set up free clinics all throughout the south to combat hookworm. By 1920 hookworm cases had been cut in half and by 1940 it had virtually dissapeared. They had medicine that worked in the early 1900's, so I'm sure they have it now.
Regards,
Bob