On Demand
Sculptors of Monumental Narrative
Dickson Despommier tells us the story of how the insatiable millionaire John D. Rockefeller turned an eye to the untapped market of the American South and ended up eradicating the hookworm (and, in the process, a number of other awful afflictions) with an ingenious contraption. Then Patrick Walters introduces us to Jasper Lawrence, a modern-day entrepreneur whose passion for hookworms stems from lifelong battles with allergies and asthma. But unlike Rockefeller, Jasper sees this parasite as friend, not foe.
Photo: flickr/grumpies
A bit of background on Mr. Rockefeller
1920 educational silent film about hookworm
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What was the music that played at the end of this segment?
What was that awesome music that connects this segment with the one that follows???
Same question. I came here looking for a music citation to discover the slide guitar artist. PLEASE tell us.
Hi there,
This was a fantastic episode, but I'm troubled by a claim made in the outhouse segment. Despommier seems to strongly imply if not directly state that outhouses were invented in the early 20th century in response to these discoveries about hookworms. That just isn't true--outhouses have been around for centuries, and there are even two-story outhouses (!) that predate Rockefeller's interest. He may have found a scientific reason for digging them a certain depth, and he might be responsible for popularizing them in a specific region, but humanity figured out how to poop in a hole before the 1900s.
Fascinating story, thank you for your research and interesting stories that support them.
Amanda is incorrect. The story does not imply the invention of outhouses in response to the hookworm discovery. It merely says the infected southerners didn't have outhouses.
Hi! Thanks for using my photo for your piece, but be sure to contact me if you plan to do so again.
-"Grumpies"
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