The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-23
WHITE MEN IN THE TROPICS.

WHITE MEN IN THE TROPICS.
AT . meeting Of the Society of Trop-
zeal Medicine and Hygiene in London
in October, Sir Havelock Charles. in q
discussion OF neurasthenia among
northern peoples who go to India.
made some interesting observations on
the failure Of such peoples to survive
without admixture with the native
races or without conforming to the
necessities imposed by the climate.
Conforming to the climate" he says,
will probably mean the preservation
Of q percentage of strains defective IN
the primitive qualities, and with a la
bility to nervous weakness" The light
colored peoples are perfectly fitted TO
cold climates. but when they migrate
to hot ATTITUDES they are damaged by
the conditions to which they are ex-
posed. 1t is said that fresh waves OF
immigration are constantly necessary
for the preservation of the purity and
predominance of the white race In
tropical climate. Unless these occur.
whether the invaders are white or yell
low. in the crossing Of lisht and dark
races the foreigners have invariably
assumed the characteristics of the ma
tives. The climate seems to limit, to
define and mold the foreign character
istics in accord with the alterations
brought about by the food and the SOIL
As instances of this are cited the dis
appearance of the Turanian invaders
of India, the failure of any foreign race
to establish itself in Egypt. Mexico or
Peru. Tho Chinese in Calcutta and
Singapore only maintain their original
qualities by importing continuous
streams OF fresh blood. 1t 10 true. Sir
Havelock says. referring more or less
particularly to the experiment at
Panama, that with money and power
enough insanitary conditions may be
rectified, but the heat. the sunlight
and the climatic conditions cannot be,
changed either by the power Of money
or the power Of knowledge. Peopfe
evolved in the environment of north
ern ATTITUDES cannot retain their char
acteristics in q tropical or subtroptcal
climate any more than southern wheat
can be made to grow and give it, In
crease in q highland soil. Men OF
sound constitution can and do live In
the tropics. but women and children
fare far less well. and the results in
the third and fourth generations would
be deplorable. Sir Havelock says that
the white man IL not plastic enough
to take up the conditions Of the col
ored man and yet remain white. and
without intermarriage his descendants
will die out. His incapacity is based
on biologic factors-skin and bone. his
blood, his brain and cranial capacity.
his nutritive processes. Prolonged resi-
dence in . high temperature. with lit
tie range. and high relative humidity.
with excess of light. will produce both
physical and mental deterioration,
quite apart from the influence Of any
parasitic disease Sir Havelock does
not believe the experiment at Panama.
with unlimited money and unlimited
power. proves anything with reference
to the possibilities in India There, he
says. even in the most advanced coast
towns Panama methods could not be
applied. while in tho interior it. would
be both economically and politically
impossible. Such Observations. says TRe
Journal of the American MedicAEsA&-
ISOLATION, are especially interesting and
pertinent in view of what has been said
with regard to the possibility OF the
more extended occupatio Of our tropi-
cal possessions by the people Of the
United States.