The herald., 1898-06-07
WHITES IN THE TROPICS
Germs Are the Cause Of Ninety-Miu0
Per Cent Of the Important
Tropical Diseases

! Tropical Diseases
The question of the white mans ability
to conquer the tropics and to make for
himself a permanent home in those de-
lightful regions is one that has hitherto
possessed a purely academic interest for
physicians in this country, but the for
tunes of war and projects Of annexation
are making 1t probable that this will soon
be changed. Puerto Rico, the Sandwich
Islands, and the Philippines, are all trop-
ical islands, and If they. one or all, come
under our flag, doubtless many OF our
citizens will go thither to seek their for-
tunes, and the question OF acclimation
will at once become most practical one.
We find, in the British Medical Journal
of April 80, an interesting account OF what
is therefore for us most timely discuss
sion on this topic. The discussion took
place in the rooms of the Royal Geograpn-
ical society, in the presence Of many OF the
best known authorities on tropical pa
tholoey. Most of those taking part In the
debate held that there Is no reason what
ever why the white man should not b.
able to adapt himself to the new condi-
tions of life in the tropics and protect him.
self against the diseases that prevail IN
those regions. The popular belief that
the white man cannot successfully colon
ize the tropics is disproved by the fact
that he has done so. 1t Is undoubtedly
true that many northerners who go to
Equatorial regions contract disease there
and die. but in the majority Of such casca
the man is the victim Of his obstinate
unwillingness to change his habits In re.
spcct to eating, drinking, and clothing
and to conform his mode Of life to the
new conditions.
| The chief diseases, both acute and
chronic, of tropical countries-thoso
which formally caused such ravagea
among the white settlers and gave rise to
the prevalent theory that Europeans
could live only in the temperate zone
all are microbic In origin and consequent
ly preventable in great measure. We can
not, of course, expect to see them abso-
lutely wiped out of existence, at least this
side of the sanitary millennium, but their
sting, like that of smallpox, can be ex-
tracted by means of an improved public
and private hygiene and other prophy-
Tactic measures. A comparison OF the
healthfulness of the West India Islands
under enlightened British rule with that
of the two until recently under Spanish
misrulc shows what can be done by sani-
tation to convert pest noie INTO para
disc. lnoeeo, as Ut. u. SAMPSON IN
opening the discussion ABOVE reierreu To-
well SAID. sanitation mas wltnin the last
Few decades wrought wonoerIui changes
IN all troplcal countries as resaros neaith
conditions ana the changes nave Deen SO
great IN some places tnat regions WHICH
were once CONSIDERED most oeaoiy are
now even recommended as neaitn resorts.
Or. Fatrlck Manson ana tnere
Is no greater autnority on the PATHOLOGY
OF cquatoriai regions, began MS remarks
with the confession tnat IN FORMER years,
under the lnnuence Oh early teacning No
shared IN the pesslmsuc opinions tnen
current ABOUT troplcai coionlzatlon py
the white races. In recent years now
ever, his views on this SUBJECT nao I'M
dergone complete revoiutionIa revoiu-
ton that began with the estaolsnmentl
of the germ theory OF disease. he now
firmly believed IN the possioi1ty OF trop-
ical colonization by the wnite races. heat
and moisture ne con.enoeo' were no. IN
themselves the oirect cause OF any I'M
portant troplcal oisease'
The olrect cause OF W per cent OF tnesa
diseases are germs. Wheh THESE germs
ana tneir napits are hno"n iuny' vic.orT
VIII De WITHIN man grasp MOS. micro
parasltrs' When they are once Within 'ne
pooy' are ialriy sale' nut 1nese sams
parasltes' III oroer lhat their iespec.ivs
species may keep IN e~is'ence W spleau
ing from one most 10 anotner. mus. -
some time or anotnel ieave 'ne huluan
pooy' anu uurins 'his Unnecessary ei"
corporeai STATE tney are eih,nenuy vui-
Herapie' 10 XIII .heii 'hen 10 Simply
matter oi khowleuse-.na. 10 ~ say pan
itary SCIENCE anu sani'a'ion.
One earhes. contention II, VI 'loee WIN ~
que against the possloii,.y VI SUCCESSFUL
Icoionizaeioh OIL inc .lopics W .ne wnee
races is 'na'' eveii II 'iie oliei.oi oo,on ~.
iiVes out ms hatura, TERM VI yea,s' nie
cniioreh VIII oeoi III '.eaiseives ev.ue"oes
OF the oeseheratNe influences VI q nos
chma'e. II 10 true, inoeeu' ds waS aulI.-
tea oy oir Harry 'ohns.on' ma. ~ many
paris ol uie tropics sne oiln'ee w.
cause oe'erioia,,oa VI Iui
AS an eAsmp,e VI lnis 10 Ii'su 'nS vi.
spring vi ori'isn parents III .nuia' VIM u
Drought up III tHdt Country W HoI EedCn
the standard OF stamina seen in the home-