Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-10-20
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 Bathe-Yet 'Tis all Fascinat-
irg

/ Life in Panama has its disadvan-
tages," said a mining man from the
Drien district The luxuriant vege-
totlon, gayly plumaged birds and the
happy, care-free atmosphere of the
tropics may appeal to people Of arts
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
venemous insects that infest these re-
gions or to put up with the lazy, un-
principled habits of the degraded
natives.
To begin with, the number of in
sects that have a fondness for the
human body is legion. We think the
feas of California are dreadful pest,
but we do not appreciate the fact
that it is possible to catch them Gf
one have sufficient agility. Now, the
Panama flea is tiny creature, bright
sible to see him. When you are
aware of his presence (and he is very
forcible in making himself KNOWN
the only means of relief is to battle
in alcohol. And, since he is ali
omnipresent creature, that means an
alcohol bath every night before re-
firing. If you omit this operation you
are assured of wakeful night.
Still worse than the little red flea
and far more dreadly in it's effect is
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
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 peo-
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-
periences much discomfort, for, as i'll
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
ease 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
f1eas will find their way under heavy
buckskin leggins 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 I have just described and
may be cut out in the same manner.
Snakes of all descriptions, from the
boa constructor to the common harm
less snake of smallest dimensions,
also thrive in the region of Panama.
One of the most deadly of these
reptiles infests the trees that over
hang the streams, and when polling up
the rivers the natives are constantly
on the alert for them. The white
man who wishes to sail on the