Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-09-25
CREDIT To ESKIMO
Without Hardy Northern Race
Pole hunting Would Be
Arduous Inded.
HARD WORKERS BUT DIRTY
Plenty of Water All Around Him but
None of IL Touches Outside
of His Person.

In spite of their differences regard
ing the discovery of the north pole anc
other matters. in one thing Commando.
Peary and DR.. Cook are in thorough
, agreement. With the other men who
have sought ''farthest north" record
hey declare that expeditions to or to-
ward the pole would be almost if not
quite impossible without the aid OF the
Eskimos. Almost all OF the long line
or arctic explorers have fully acknowl
edged their Indebtedness to the men
OF the north for their familiarity with
arctic conditions and their willingness
TO work as sledGe drivers and burden
bearers.
The only true Esllimos on this con-
tinent live on the west coast of Green
land from Upernavik TO Etah. in the
heart of the arctic. less than 200 miles
from the pole. where SO many fearless
explorers have spent their long. dark
winter night before the final dash on
foot and sIedges over ice and hum
mockS of ice.
With all their virtues Of industry,
honesty. peaceableness and docility
the Eskimos are the filthiest people in
the world. They never wash. not even
face and hands. The smell of their
fur clothing and secretions from the
skin causes an Odor about their per-
sons. and especially in their igloos and
tents. that is unbearabie to tenderfeet.
Living in hutS of stone or ice in
winter. in SealSkin tents in summer.
ESkimos never marry in the sense we
use this word. but mate like animals.
Swapping Of mates for an indefinite
time is common. ESkimoS are the
most widely scattered people on the
globe. dwelling together in small
bands. without central authority or
government There are less than 40
600 ESkimoS all told.
Safe From Many Diseases.
Eskimos live almost entirely on raw
animal food. and this explains the
absence of number of diseases which
are common TO civilization. Scurvy. so
common and deadly among early polar
explorers, is totally unknown among
EskimOs who eat raw meat. This raw
food also explains the absence of en-
larged tonSilS. glands and gOitre. Their
perfect. splendid teeth and strong low
cr jaws mark them completely carniv-
OrouS. The exclusions of vegetable food
has shortened their intestine. and in
digestion is unknown. One would
suppose their pure flesh diet would
cause biliousneSs, etc. but the large
percentage of oil in their food acts as
gentle laxative and protects them
against all harm. The Eskimo eats
with relish old rotten blubber that
would stagger buzzard.
Consumption is unknown among the
EskimoS in the north, nor is there any
skin or bone form of tuberculosis. but
when brought To the United States
they contract consumption in most viz
ulent form. OF six brought TO New
York all contracted the disease in less
than six months. One who returned
10 his arctic home made Il quick cure.
1t is well known that the long arctic
winter, with its depressing effects on
body and mind. often upsets the best
balanced nervous system. even OF the
natives. But this hysteria vanishes
with the summer. Explorers have Suf-
fered in the same way. and two have
committed Suicile. In summer ESki-
mos get so full blooded that nose
bleeding is very common.
All degenerative diseases that cause
so much suffering and death in civil
ZatiOn are absent from the ES6imOS.
~''.sG =