The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-05-30
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4 SAD PHASE OF LIFE.

1t is at once a startling and reas-
suring fact that the labor question in
Sicily seems mainly to have interested
the medical philanthropist, such we'll
known biologists as Angelo Mosso, of
Turin, Cesare Lombroso of the same
school, and Napoleone Cola janni, of
Messina, having each from his own
standpoint icontributed powerfully to
its elucidation. We say startling"
because a social evil that makes the
medical man intervene is one that af-
fects the vitality of the population, and
we say ''reassuring" because when
such intervention has come about there
is hope that the condition of things
will be improved. We leave on
one side for the present DR..
Cola ajanni's luminous expose of the
horrors of the sulphur mines in Sicily.
and we also postpone consideration of
DR.. Lombrosos psychological study of
the effects of the system on character
and development Our present pur-
pose is rather to draw attention to DIR.
Mosso's instructive facts and figures as
to the physical deterioration induced
by such labor of the Siciiian prole-
tariat
Take, for example, the province of
Caltanisetta in the heart of ele IS
land. and ponder the following statis-
tics. In the four years from 1881 to
1854 the officers of the military levy
had 1872 young solfarari under scruti-
ny. OF these only a03 were found TO
be fit for service in the army; 1878
were riformati-that is, were tenta-
tivelv declared to be fit, then broke
down after the regulation trials and
had to be dismissed; and .a35 were re-
rnanded for further inspection at the
next levy. OF the riformati l,249
proved 10 be defective as to
stature, ca were incura bly, narrow
chested. Ga had constitutional debili-
~, 25 developed malformation of the
thorax, 4s were hunchbaclted, 90 had
other corporal deformities. Is labored
under malarial cachexia. Is became
blind, and so suffered from diverse all
ments. And this, says DIR. Mosso,
sin province under the respleudent
sky OF Italy. on a soil bursting with
fertility. in d land prolific in intelli-
gent sons-out of 3.s73 young men
of twenty only 203 found capable OF
military service. 1t is with great grief
and dismay that we peruse these
figures and think on ciir native land"
Other provinces of Sicily showing
about third fewer reflections for the
military levy than Caltanisetts were
still far from prese enting the normal de-
velopment proper 70 youth mainly agri-
cultural in occupation; but the nadir of
physical and mental abasenaent was
reached in the mining districts. where
the mum ber of analfabeti snznls 20 read
and write Is about 80 per cent fIuf
there Is an antecen6ent condition even
worse than want of education The
lives led by the poor children of the
mines are in point OF decency. 70 say
nothing Of sanitary observance. As de-
graded as humanity has ever snnx to-
A small room VIII accommodate the
young soifararo with six other p~-<ons
OF both sexes and ot ali ages As ef,en
a. not the pig. the goat. tae ass. or the |
mule have share OF The said room
and eve witnesses Ike DR. yo&<o and /
Sig sonniro lthe preaent finance assn- /
ister % the Italian kingdom. whose /
book On Sicily = a painful as il l. in 1
stractives could no; penetrate into its ]
interior. such -ere the EI,h sc5 toe /
oScase TO eTerT scaiiea. orsSn