The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-10-19
WAR ON THE LAzINEsS GERM.
Science to Convert the Shiftless
Porto Rican into n Worker.

The problem is the familiar one OF
education in the elementary princi-
ciples of hygiene and sanitation. Re-
cent Investigations have shown that
80 per cent. of the rural population
OF Porto Rico are sufferers from the
ravages of the "laziness germ" dig
nified by science with the name of
uncinaria. Their apparent laziness is
actually the result of well-defined
malady, known as unicinariasis or
ankylostomiasis, and more of a
scourge to the inhabitants of the
island than the dreaded yellow
Jack" in its palmiest days. Anti
imperialists, however, can find little
comfort in this, for II has now been
discovered that the laziness germ
has made its appearance in the Uni
ted States.
Despite the existence OF this
strange malady In the United States
proper, 1t has not yet attracted gene
raj attention. Widespread as It is in
tropical and semi-tropical climates,
in the temperate zone it can thrive
only under exceptionally favorable
conditions, notably in mines, tunnels
and other works in which the labor
crs are exposed to infection through
muddy water. The responsibility
thrust upon the United States by the
acquisitions of recent years is being
realized now more fully than ever
before, and medical men, who in the
ordinary course of events will never
come In contact with any of the NAL
aides peculiar to tropical and semi
tropical peoples, are keenly alive to
the importance of the problem. The
unwillingness to labor hard and long
displayed by the average Porto Ri
can is really physical incapacity, the
result of inoculation with the 'lazi-
ness germ"
Although of such long standing in
the world the little germ did not
arouse much stir in the medical
world until 1879, when the tunnel
ing of the great st. Gothard pass
through the High Alps began. On
the progress of this engineering feat
the eyes of the whole civilized world
were bent, and when the laborers
began to sicken and die by the hun
dredS the secret of the mysterious
epidemic was sought for until II was
found to be the same germ that is
now working such havoc in Porto
Rico. Between the climate of high
Alpine pass and of Porto Rico there
is little resemblance, but in the tun-
mel itself much the same condition
prevailed as on the island to-day
Men worked half naked in great
heat, often up to their waists in
muddy water and with comparative
ly little regard to sanitary precau-
tions. The unshod West Indian
working in the coffee fields or the
sugar plantation is exposed to the
same danger with the same results.
1t is a popularity Of the "laziness
germ" so fatal to the development
of the natural resources of lands on
which nature has lavished all her
wealth, that it finds its way into the
body more often through the skin
than through the mouth. For this
reason uncinariasis has been called
a poor mans disease, and the poorer
he is the more exposed Is he to in
fection.
Once within the body the tiny
parasite makes its way unerringly to
the digestive tract and there feeds
at leisure upon the blood of his vic
tim. The peasant is usually found
to be inoculated not once, but many
times, with these germs-the favo-
rite entrance being through the feet
and the effect is as if a multi
tude of little veins should be opened
and allowed to bleed. Under this
continuous drain the patients blood
becomes thin and watery and the in
ability to take any violent eXertion,
from which the uncinaria derives it's
popular name of the "laziness germ"
becomes more and more pronounced.
In cases where the victim escapes
further infection and has good food
and plenty of it, time usually works
his cure. These are, however, un-
usually favorable conditions The
mass of sufferers confined in mar
row valley or a coffee plantation on
mpuntainside are affected again and
again. AS they grow weaker their
earning ability grows less and food
becomes scarce. Thirty per cent. OF
the deaths in the island it is esti-
mated, are due to uncinariasis, and
this is exclusive of the unknown
numbers who, weakened by years of
suffering, fall ready prey to more
violent maladies. Such curse has
the disease become that to the SIM
pie "jibero" it is Ia muerti natu-
ral," the natural death.