The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-15
SUMNER on THE IsTHMUs.
A Recently Returned Engineers Observa'
lions on Mosquitoes. water and Rum.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-SI: In THE
Sun of this morning l read with some sur
prise the account OF an interview with Dr..
r. q. Marcour. who Is represented 70 have been
in the service Of the United States Navy on
the Isthrnus OF Panama. The statements
attributed TO DIR. Marcour are so remarkable
and in many cases SO far removed from the
facts that l am impelled to correct them.
especially since the present time Ii one OF
extreme Importance TO the people OF the
United States In general and to the exploita-
ton of the Panama Canal In particular.
l write with some confidence. since have
just returned from the Isthmus Of Pam
ANA. where ! spent two months, and these
the months which are regarded by many
people as the most unhealthy OF the year In
that quarter Of the globe. With reference TO
this phase may dismiss the subject in very
few words by saying that never In my life
Except for about two hours one morning,
when | was oppressed by an unusually hot
SUM have l enjoyed better health than
did on the Isthmus of Panama. This Is
worth remarking. since observed no unusual
precautions as to health. ] slept upon the
ground. in hammock or in bed as the cir
cumstanoes OF the night required. and used
a mosquito net certainly not more than half
a dozen times during my whole stay. When.
therefore, l read that the health OF the ma
rines was preserved by using mosquito nets
as joke. lived for a month in one Of the
houses occupied by the marines at Bias Obispo,
Of R and curing az Of
as one would meet IN single evening on al
most any porch within a radius Of fifty miles
S New ye extend If hs Wso
quito net Tor my face. but did not remove !.
y the SFn wsen
! was many times at Empire. where the ma
rines are now stationed, did not see single
kind against mosquitoes, and i believe any
Snaer the The sue" osaa hee
There may as hav e" been co few natives who
put copper mesh over their rain-water bar.
res. but they are undscovera6Sle in the great
thing, for the simple reason that there is no
copper mesh or any other Kind 81 mesh l lor
to Is as fne
suffer 30 little from malaria thatit is negli-
article is to the effect that the only water in
the already excavated canal is rain water
drained from, the immediate marshes In
tide water and is in direct communication
with the Chagres River, which has rs source
II the and Itself il sds mater
from Colon to Panama. To talk Of, draining
these marshes, SCORES Of square miles In eS-
tent, as an easy Job is about like aging that
To build the canal is an easy job. Truly, TO
drain these marshes in such way as to de-
prive mosquitoes Of breeding place would be
a work OF tremendous MAGNITUDE nnd prob
ably would exceed in cost the building OF the
canal itself.
The Isthmus Of Panama has been bug
hear too long, and now that the canal faces
the people of the United States as work
which they must perform. they are entitled
70 accurate informatlon rs TO the conditions
there. Not from choice. but from necessity.
] drank from nearly every stream on the
Isthmus, and from the Chaeres River many
dozens Of times without the sill ghtest i'll effect,
! also drank the native rum with much pleasure
and without harmful results ! can recon-
mend II as one Of the purest and most agree
able Installations that have ever come across.
The best quality costs about 81 n gallon.
To sum all mp, | believe that a man in good
health NAV go to the Isthmus of Panama.
live there ma comfortably and as economically
as anywhere in the United States. and pre-
ecrve his health quite as well there ms at home.
II he will observe the most ordinary rules OF
decency and hygiene.
GFoRGr HEBARD PAINE.
Consulting Engineer.
NrW vppU Cnpt