The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-04-06
LAZlNESS.
Experts Tell rs II is a Disease
The Man With the HoOkWOEm

have considered laZlneSS as
personal characteristic. The &
Experts now tell US that it is q l
disease. They have tracked
laziness right down to it's lalI'
and they find that the cause OF
it is the hookworm. SO you
see how mistaken We have been
IN blaming the man who has
shown an aversion to labor and
" 10 cannot look at work with
ont a shudder.
This trouble is most preva-
/ Lent in warm chimes, where the
sun is hot, the trees are shady
and the rivers have inviting
banks and are full Of fish. In
the country the hnokworm gets
in lis work when spring pillow
ing begins and Creates terrible !
havoc among The fdrmhands at
harvest and contemplating
time. In the city we can plain
ly observe his ravages in the
men who work by the day. be-
ing able to do just enough work
20 keep from falling off the pay
roll.
The hookworm invades the
farm, halts the pillow, stops the
lawn-mower, palsies the house
p .inter's hand, stills the ring
Of the carpenters hammer
and puts the brick-layer to
: sleep.
Many a poor wanderer whom
we regard as d worthless tramp
may be merely the unfortu-
nate victim of the hookworm.
The medical experts in con-
vention in Baltimore have
: planned a campaign for the ex-
: termination Of this terrible foe
q of labor. They have planned
to marshal their cohorts, and
e and the doctors in solid phal
+ anx will charge against the
S hookworm. (How much the
l. will charge, of, course, depends
j OH what the victim is able t.
% pay.) The edict hasgone forth
- The hookworm must go!
He is to be pelted with pill:
" and pestered with quinine un-
= til he gets Disguised and con
s. sents to leave the human sys
S tenn.
One difficulty arises: Doe:
the lazy man want to be cured
In case he is euamored of sleel
j. and rest and loafing, if he j!
Is welded to his idols, will h,
n, consent to be cured? If h
ut refuses to part with his dole,
ID far niente, and declares that
n come what may, he will stick t.
as the hookworm that has stucl
he to him, can the doctors tax
re his beloved hookworm from
IS him? The question arises
I'd Is it constitutional to cure
te man against his will?
There are thousands of me
eff idle in this country now, an
ce they declare there's not enoug
on work to go around. If we Gu
he out the lazy appendi1and inoc'
er- late million lazy men wit
in the virus of work, where wi
on we hnd work enough for theI
NOD to do?
ilo This is not merely a med
cal but an economic question
Wis He may rise up to plague, di
nd tress and worry us, this ne
a weary, inoffensive and inde
rho lent man with the hookworm.
Might it not be contende,
in too, that the hookworm oft,
oay does good in preventing exec
ion sive and dangerous zeal, viii
tor disturbs society and threaten
ent public prosperity and peae
nil May he not be natures antido
NAL for the mischievous micro
ID that converts men into butter
no in and inspires them with
on' perpetual pernicious activt
49, Ought he not to be preserv
100 to inoculate this restle
am class of crusaders and
his temper their energy with
the saving leaven Of lethargy?
t he might be fatal mistake to
re- stroy the hookworm. 1t
possible that he may be one