Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-26

above the normal. In Tunis the birth
rate Of the white settlers in iS90-92 was
nearly third greater than the death
rata. On the American continent ii Is
fly the uplands Of Mexico. Peru ANA
Bolivia ar along the arid coasts Of tn
Pacific that the Spaniards have sue
ceeded most fully. The heat in trop-
zeal countries. however. is important
indirectly. beCaus" it is the cause Of
humidity ana generally accompanies
I'LL In temperate regions humidity
goes with cool weather. except in the
dog days. but in the tropics heat pre-
walls just when radiation, through per.-
piration, is most retarded by moisture
in the atmosphere. This co-eXistence
Of heat and humidity. coupled with the
enforced abstinence from exercise Is
the cause Of pathological disturbances.
The blood is not properly purified, and
anaemia ensueS. even when more inn
mediate effects do not manifest them
selves in intestinal disorders. From
this harmful combination of high tent
perature and moisture relief is afford
ed in those tropical islands where al
ternating sea and land breezes make
hem more amenable To European
civilization. Especially when these
islands are volcanic or mountainous Is
the strength of these tempering ele-
ments increased. 1t is well known
that these alterations of a tropical
climate are to he found in both Porto
Rico ana the Philippines.
After all, the keynote Of the matter
II struck when we come to the much
controverted question of the influence
of change of climate upon fertility.
For. however we'll an individual may
he enabled by artificial means to exist.
the race will never accommodate itself
permanently to new conditions unless
the birth-rate exceeds the death-rate
There has been. for some time, no
zion current that Sterility of the white
race ensues after three generations in
! the tropics. This is not true of plants
! and animals, and DR.. Ripley can find
| no direct proof of the phenomenon i'll
man. In the cases commonly cited no
attempt is made 10 eliminate a num-
| Der Of confusing factors. Jousset de
| clares that no direct effect upon fe-
! cundity can be traced to eliminate. DR.
| Fritsch comedies that. although sterl-
| ity may result. there is, as yet no
direct evidence to demonstrate il. In
| the Dutch East Indies only one exam
| Dle of the complete isolation of white
| emgrants is known, namely, in the
| island Of Kisser. and Sterility there is
! by no means certain. That is to say,
| in the part of the world to which the
| Philippines belong. sterility from eli
| mate, as a single cause. cannot be af-
| firmed. from utter lack of evidence.
| On the other hand. q number of exam
pies Of continued fertility might be
given. Brace affrms that the Jews
are fertile even in Cochin-China. The
| Spanish women in Guayaquil. in a eli
| mate where the temperature is seldom
!; below So deg. Fair. and where there
| is complete absence of intermar-
riage with the natives. are the finest
| along the coast, and the white popula-
ton of that town is exceedingly pro-
| life. Some years ago an English Wo-
man. never out Of India. and not even
taking a vacation in the hills, died Mt
the age of ~ years. leaving IS children.
De Quatrefages. although inclined to
admit the possibility of a temporary
| nfertlity, takes a hopeful view. not
only of Algeria. where heat. las we have
seen, is not accompanied with humid