Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-10-16
LIFE IN THE TROPICS
PHYSICAL DlsCoMFoRTs MANY
AMONG SCENES OF BEAUTY.
INSECTS SIMPLY LEGION
Mud Is Deep, Natives Degraded, and
Even the Streams Abound in Ali
gators Lying in Wait for Those
Who 6athe-Yet 'Tis all Fascinat-
ing

Life in Panama has its disadvan-
tages,' said a mining man from the
Drien district. The luxuriant vege-
tatIOn, gayly plumaged birds and the
happy, care-free atmosphere Of the
troyics may appeal to people of artis-
tic temperament, but the practical
man is too conscious Of the many
physical discomforts that he meets.
can tell you that it is no fun to ride a
mule that has to wade through mud
four feet deep, to be poisoned by the
ycnemous insects that infest these re
glons or to put up with the lazy, un-
Driucipled habits of the degraded
natives.
70 begin with, the number Of in
sccts that have a fondness for the
human body is legion. We think the
ncas Of California are a dreadful pest,
but we do not appreciate the fact
that it is possible to catch them Qf
one have sufficient agility. Now, the
Panama flea is a tiny creature, bright
red in color, and it is almost impOs-
sibIe to see him. When you are
aware Of his presence (and he is very
fOrciblc in making himself knOWn) ,
the only means of relief is to battle
in alcohol And, since he is all
.UmnIpresent creature, that means an
alcohol bath every night before re-
firing If you omit this operation you
are assured of a wakeful night
Still worse than the little red flea
and far more droadly in it's effect is
a small insect that gets into the flesh
of the feet, usually about the nail.
This insect itself is microscopic, and
it burrows into the flesh laying an
egg that soon matches and causes a
most disagreeable itching, with final
swelling. The little sack in which
the egg is laid swells to the size of
an ordinary pea and causes so much
soreness and pain that it has to be re-
moved $ soon S possible in order to
prevent blood poisoning Many PEG
pie have had to have toe amputated
on account of the infection Of this
little insect.
The novice in the operation of re
moving the insect from his foot eX-
perienccs much discomfort, for, as III
everything else, there is the proper
way to do it, and the foreigner that is
shrewd will take his cue from the
natives, who evince much skill in this
little surgical operation. When the
itching is first felt the sack may be
easily removed without drawing the
blood, but if allowed to remain the
soreness and swelling make the opera
ton a painful one. Many Americans
have been laid up for months on oC-
count Of these insects, and there are
case in which a foot has been
amputated to save life.
TO be free from the torments of
these creatures seems an utter i'm
possibility since they and the red
ncas will find their way under heavy
buckskin Icggins and stiff walking
boots The only solution of the prob
lem is to learn from the natives the
trick of removing them. When out
upon expeditions it is not uncommon
to see the natives sit suddenly upon
the ground and begin to operate upon
their toes. There is another creature.
a boring worm, that sometimes gets
below the skin 1t is similar in effect
to the one have just described and
may be cut out in the same manner.
Snakes of all descriptions, from the
boa constructor to the common harm