Series: Medical Fiascoes, Book 3
Published: 2022
Author: Gail Jarrow
Genre: YA Nonfiction / Science / Medical History
Audience: Grades 7–12
Number of Stars: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Goodreads Link: American Murderer
Publisher’s Summary
What made workers in the American South so tired and feeble during the 19th and early 20th centuries? This exciting medical mystery uncovers the secrets of the parasite hookworm, commonly known as the “American Murderer,” and is the latest title in Gail Jarrow’s (YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults award-winning author) Medical Fiascoes series.
Imagine microscopic worms living in the soil. They enter your body through your bare feet, travel to your intestines, and stay there for years sucking your blood like vampires. You feel exhausted. You get sick easily. It sounds like a nightmare, but that’s what happened in the American South during the 1800s and early 1900s.
Doctors never guessed that hookworms were making patients ill, but zoologist Charles Stiles knew better. Working with one of the first public health organizations, he and his colleagues treated the sick and showed Southerners how to protect themselves by wearing shoes and using outhouses so that the worms didn’t spread. Although hookworm was eventually controlled in the US, the parasite remains a serious health problem throughout the world. The topic of this STEM book remains relevant and will fascinate readers interested in medicine, science, history—and gross stories about bloodsucking creatures.
Full Review
This book tackles the relatively unknown subject of the impact and discovery of hookworms and highlights the work of scientist Charles Stiles. Stiles is credited with discovering that hookworm infestations were causing debilitating anemia and fatigue, primarily among people living in the South during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
American Murderer explores not just the science of the parasite Necator americanus, but also the unsanitary conditions that led to its spread. The combination of poorly designed outhouses and the inability of many people to afford shoes created the ideal “nightmare” conditions for this parasite to thrive. Before this condition was medically recognized, many afflicted people were cruelly labeled as simply “lazy,” when in reality, they were suffering from a parasite that left them weak and unable to work.
Author Gail Jarrow, a former grades 4–8 science teacher, is a master at blending history with science. She writes in a way that keeps middle and high school readers completely engaged. The book is a perfect complement to STEM and history curriculums, featuring historical photos, charts, and a timeline that add significant visual interest. It is no wonder this book was the 2023 winner of the “YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults.”
🧬 Science Spotlight: The Hookworm Life Cycle
To understand why the “American Murderer” was so difficult to stop, one must look at its unique and predatory life cycle.
- Entry: Larvae live in soil contaminated by human waste. They penetrate the skin of humans—usually through bare feet.
- The Journey: Once inside, they travel through the bloodstream to the lungs, are coughed up, and then swallowed.
- The Intestines: They latch onto the wall of the small intestine, where they feed on the host’s blood. A single person could host thousands of worms, leading to severe anemia.
- The Spread: Eggs are passed through waste back into the soil, starting the cycle all over again in areas without indoor plumbing or shoes.
🎒 Classroom & Curricular Connections
- Science (Biology & Parasitology):
- Activity Idea: Trace the biological path of Necator americanus. Discuss the physiological effects of anemia on the human body. Why does blood loss lead to the “laziness” or fatigue described in the book?
- Social Studies (Post-Civil War South):
- Activity Idea: Explore the socioeconomic factors of the early 1900s. How did poverty and the lack of infrastructure contribute to a public health crisis? Discuss the “Lazy South” stereotype and how scientific discovery debunked a social prejudice.
- Public Health & STEM:
- Activity Idea: Research the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission. How did this organization use Stiles’s findings to launch one of the first major public health campaigns in the U.S.?
- ELA (Nonfiction Analysis):
- Activity Idea: Jarrow uses the “Medical Fiasco” framing. Analyze her tone—how does she make a technical medical subject read like a mystery or a thriller? Have students identify “clues” in the text that led Stiles to his discovery.
