"The poison of skepticism becomes, like alcoholism, tuberculosis, and some other diseases, much more virulent in a hitherto virgin soil"

This quote by Simone Weil is a metaphor for how skepticism can spread quickly and end up being more dangerous in an environment that is not used to it. She compares uncertainty to a poison, and recommends that it can become more powerful and harmful in a location that has actually not been exposed to it previously. This is similar to how illness such as alcohol addiction, tuberculosis, and other illnesses can end up being more extreme in a place that has actually not been exposed to them before. Weil is warning us of the risks of uncertainty, and how it can quickly end up being more effective and damaging in an environment that is not utilized to it. She is suggesting that we need to understand the potential dangers of hesitation, and take actions to protect ourselves from it.