A review of the recent advances in the mechanism of hookworm anemia is presented, pointing out the importance of a qualitatively defective nutrition in the genesis of this disease. The carencial aspect of hookworm anemia is emphasized. The accepted prophylaxia of hookworm disease limits itself to avoiding human infestation by the ancylostomidae. This method is criticized as a pratical means of eradicating the anemia in rural population. This paper deals with preliminary studies to build up a carencial type of prophylaxis in hookworm anemia (as in prophylaxis of endemic goitre) based on the administration of iron salts, in the food usually consumed in Brazil. The mixtures ferrous sulphate and mandioca flour or amoniacal ferric citrate and baked beans, have been able to prevent anemia in patients heavely infested. during long periods of time (6-8 months). the minimus efficient daily doses of iron needed to maintain normal blood levels have not been precisely ascertained, but even 0.1 g of ferrous sulphate (37 mg of metalic iron) daily in mandioca flour was satisfatory for that purpose. Different foods and iron salts have been tried with no results, for different reasons. When iron salts were administered in insufficient doses, the progressive evolution of the anemia was observed in detail. In conclusion the use of iron salts in suficient quantities mixed to usual food is advised as a prophylatic method is hookworm anemia. A campaign of this type can be accomplished at extremely low cost, and probably has definite advantages over the classical prophylaxis, whose methods interferes with rooted habits of people of rural areas and therefore give very poor practical results.