Sentence:  The dweller at p is last to hear about a new cure , the slowest to announce to his neighbors his urgent <WSD>distresses</WSD> , the one who goes the farthest to trade , and the one with the greatest difficulty of all in putting over an idea or getting people to join him in a cooperative effort . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  a state of adversity (danger or affliction or need)