St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-31
YELLOW FEVER IN PANAMA.


REVELATIONS OF A STARTLING CHARACTER. ~
Especial Telegram 10 the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.-Surgeon General
Hamilton's suggestions as to additional pre-
cautions 10 prevent the introduction Of yell
low fever from Panama were based upon in
formation Of n startling character. In q letter
just received BON prominent authority and
dated Pan1ki !, Man. ,, the following state
ments are made:
All information az TO deaths occurring
here is studiously concealed. You can
readily see that il it were known abroad that
the mortality on this isthmus is 50 great, it
would probably check the flow Of laborcrs,
contractors, tourists aud others in this direc-
ton to the detriment Of the interests Of the
canal company, steamship lines, hotel keep
ers, merchants, and all who gather
gain from people that flock hither.
While it IS impossible to obtain
official figures In regard to diseases and
deaths, certain facts can't be hidden, and Oc-
casiUnally an admission is made from which
any intelligent person can form an opinion.
We know that persons Of our acquaintance
die daily Of yellow and peruicious malaria
fever. have had a friend die in my arm 5,
actually casting black yomit over me, and
yet the next day l was assured by q proni-
nent resident Of Panama that there had
never been a case Of yellow fever ON the
isEhmus. / have undoubted authority for say
ing that 100 persons died in the caual hos
pitdl here In November last. In the new
cemetery opeued in this city during last
year, there are already more than !, 600 graves
and over 1000 intermeuts in six months
in the princph one Of FIVE cemeteries.
have no doubt that ,, 400 persons we're
buried in Panama in 1854. The death rate
at Colon and along the line has been very
heavy. The population OF Panama is esti-
mated at p COO II ms estimate be correct,
our death rate is about one ninth per anuum.
The director u the Caual company is believed
" have salary Of S. 900 a year. lie can,
therefore, afford every comfort and provide
every safeguard for his family, but his ex-
periences have been inexpressibly sad. At
the end Of October, 1888, nc came here from
Paris, bringing with him his wife and their
daughter aud sou, together with u staff Of
engineers Of some twelve persons. Tue
people vi his stall have all died, with possibly
one exception. His daughter died Of yellow
fever on January -, 1884, and his son sue
cumbed 10 the same disease on February %
His wife died Of fever last evening at o'clock
and Mr. Dingler tried to shoot himself He
is the only one left on this isthmus Of the
party which came here together fifteen
months ago. The number Of fcvcr-stricken
people who have applied at the United States
consulate here Tor hospital relief or FOR pas
sage homeward would alone be sufficient
evidence of the iusalubrity, but the various
other sad facts daily brought to ms notice
warrant me IN saying that the isthmus is pes
tilcutial Reports from Colon and other
points show similar facts. Surgeon General
Hamilton believes that the only thing to be
done is to make the facts known, and Sc
cure, II possible, better quarantine precau-
tUus against Panama.