Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Thefruitcompaniesalsowenttogreatlengthstopreventthespreadof
Moko via routine cultivation practices. During the 1950s United Fruit re-
quired its pruners to work with two machetes and a scabbard filled with a
tenpercentformaldehydesolution.Companyforemeninstructedworkers
to rotate their machetes constantly so that the blades would be immersed
for at least ten seconds in the formaldehyde solution in between uses.
56
United Fruit devised various means to ensure that workers complied with
this seemingly simple measure. In 1957, the company issued a Spanish-
languagemanualthaturgedfieldhandsto''[u]sedisinfectanttocleanyour
macheteregardlessofwhethertheplantisdiseased...addfreshformulina
[formaldehyde solution] often.''
57
The manual concluded with two car-
toons.The first image featured a worker, shiny machete in hand, standing
betweenadrumofformulinaandahealthybananaplantwithadollarsign
hanging from it. The second image depicted an unkempt worker with a
dirty machete next to a dead banana plant; neitherformulinanor the dol-
larsignwereanywheretobeseen.By1970,thecompanyrequiredpruners
to add a violet dye to the otherwise clear formaldehyde solution so that
foremen could inspect plants for telltale stains in order to monitor worker
compliance with tool disinfection procedures.
58
Fieldworkersgenerallydislikedworkingwithformulinabecausetheir
fingers came into frequent contact with the disinfectant due to the con-
stantrotationofpruningknivesandmachetes.FormerStandardFruitem-
ployeeAbelPosasbelievedthatconstantexposuretoformaldehydecaused
permanent damage to many workers' fingers. He added that the disinfec-
tant also produced a burning sensation in one's eyes.
59
Ramón Vallecillo,
another ex-Standard Fruit employee, recalled having ''little drops'' of for-
maldehyde solution fall into his eyes. In addition to causing an intense
burning sensation, he believed the chemical left his vision permanently
impaired.
60
Posas and Vallecillo were not alone in their dislike of formal-
dehyde. Standard Fruit researcher Henry Muery's unpublished memoir
refers to ''constant complaints by laborers'' in the early 1970s that forced
the company to replace formaldehydewith a disinfectant called Beloran.
61
United Fruit began experimenting with Beloran in 1967. Although re-
search department reports made no reference toworkercomplaints about
formulina, they described Beloran as ''effective but odorless and non-
irritating'' suggesting that the same could not be said about formulina.
62
This description of routine Moko control work reveals the compli-
cated dynamic between fruit company researchers, field workers, banana
plants, and plant pathogens. Cultivation practices were primarily respon-
sible for the spread of Moko within the confines of fruit company farms,
