The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-04-16
THE INSECTS OF PANAMA.
Fleas, Ticks and Borers Render Life
on the Isshmus Anything But
Enjoyable.


comparatively little is known of the
everyday customs and conditions Of
life IN Central America, and we are
prone to think of these tropical regions
as place of lavish, luxuriant vegeta-
tion, everlasting sunshine, gayly
phere of relaxation and comfort. We
forget that. during the rainy season,
the mud is four feet deep on the roads
in Panama; that men die like dogs
during some seasons) in the street, so
fresh graves in day being common
sight; that sanitary regulations re-
ceiye no consideration whatever; that
the soil is mass Of decaying yegeta-
tion that breathes out disease and
death; that the. haunting fear Of
schagres and yellow fever hangs over
every district Of the is sthmus, and last,
but not least, that life is made one
round Of tormenf by the legions of in
sect pests that iufest the whole coun-
try, says me LosAngeles Times.
Indeed, il takes.a man of fortitude
and courage to face life in Panama.
No amount of fine scenery and the gay
coloring Of flower and wing will really
compensate for the physical discnm-
forts that these myriads of insect
forms bring to man. especially to the
white man, who is less Injured to tor
lures of that kind than is his black
brother. And yet many Americans go
there, suffer the trials that such eli
mate and life entail. and often come
out none the worse for the experience.
We consider the flea of California
troublesome enough, but he is nothing
compared with the little creature that
takes his place on the Isthmus of Pan
anna. This flea, called "coloradilla"
(litt1e red one), is tiny, flaming red
insect, almost microscopic. His dimin-
utive size renders him impossible to
capture, which is one Of his advantages
over the feas of the temperate climates
fthe latter being easily caught if one
is sufficiently agile). Unlike our fieas,
however, the coloradilla has no hop
ping ability, but he sticks firmly to the
flesh wherever he chooses to locate.
As he cannot readily be seen with the
naked eye it is impossible to remove
him by any ordinary means, and ones
only reliefsis to bathe in alcohol. 81
numerous are these feas and so annoy
ing their bite that an alcohol bath 10
necessary every night before retiring.
To neglect this duty sto spend hours
of sleeplessness.
Another insect far more venomous
in its effect, and pronounced by the
miners who go into the interior as their
greatest enemy, is small creature
that gets into the flesh of the feet, usu-
ally about the nail. This insect bur-
rows beneath the skin and lays an egg
that soon matches, causing itching,
swelling and intense pain. The little
sac in which the egg is laid swells rap
idly, and the severe pain thus caused
necessitates immediate removal of this
foreign substance. 1t frequently hap
pens that blood poisoning sets in, and
toe or foot has to be amputated to,
save life.
The Americans who are quick witfed
enough take their cue from the ma
tives and remove the little insect in
truder as soon as the itching is felt.
If allowed to remain until the swelling
begins the operation of removing is a
painful one And again, certain skill
is necessary in order not to draw the
blood, and this may be acquired by
observation of the blacks, who have re-
duced to a scientific basis the process
of cutting out this little insect.
Indeed, the only protection against
these insects and another quite SINH
lar that bores beneath the skin is to
learn the art of removing them. For
no buckskin leggings or stiff walking
boots are stout or close enough to
hinder these intruders from finding
their way to the human flesh, and ones
only comfort lies in doing "as the
Romans do" 1t is a common sight to
see native suddenly sit upon the
ground ano begin operating upon his
toes. He makes few incisions in the
skin, and is on his way again, thinking
no more of his skillful surgical opera
ton than he would of-of shifting the
position of flea.
Another source of common annoy
ance, in the way of insect life. in that
land of manana, is the sand fly. This
minute being is omnipresent, and he
makes himself known by bite that is
far worse than that of the ordinary