The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1904-07-21

Destroyed, Says Chief Of Medical
Force Connected With Construc-
ton of Waterway-Five Per Cent
Average of Sick Would Be Remark
able Result.
Colonel William G. Gorgas Of the
United States army, who is to have
charge of the medical force in connec-
ton with the construction Of the Pana-
ma canal, is back from the isthmus
and is now busy perfecting his plans
for the publication Of the strip Of ter
ritory through which the canal will
run, says the New York Times. A
majority of the natives who live with.
in the canal strip are affected with
malaria, and how to minimize this dam
ger to the thirty odd thousand Ameri-
cans who are to be sent to the isthmus
to build the canal is occupying Colonel
Gorgas just now.
1.-THE isthmus," said Colonel Gorgas.
runs from east to west and the canal
from north to south, the strip along
which the canal Is to run being about
| fifty miles, the distance between Co.
Ion and Panama. Panama Is an old
city Of about 10000 inhabitants and
is situated on high and well drained
ground. Colon, on the opposite side OF
the isthmus, is situated on coral is
land, the island being slightly below
the level of the sea, with the occupied
part filled in to a depth Of three or
four feet.
1.-THE route of the canal follows that
Of the Chagres river up to, the d.
vide, which is only six or eight miles
from the city Of Panama, and from the
divide it's course is through the valley
of the Rio Grande river. The route
from Colon to the Pacific terminal Is
through very engaging mountainous
country, which is well drained, the
swampy ground along the course Of the
rivers being in extent about the saIle
as In the case Of similar river In the
billy regions Of New York.
"This will give you an idea Of the
country in which the medical forces
will have to work, and this brings me
to the question Of health, which is the
very serious problem we will tackle
and attempt to solve. AS for these
health conditions, will say that, gen.
orally speaking, they are about like
that of most tropical countries. At
the present time the infection intro
duced by the French laborers has to a
great extent disappeared, and the pres
ent population is not subject to the
same high rate Of mortality which the
French experienced.
Zone hears, as regards the American
force that is to be sent to the isthmus,
two opinions expressed as to what the
health conditions are going to be. The
first opinion Is that the question Of SAN
itation Is very simple problem, and
that there Is no cause for anxiety. On
the other hand, there are those who be-
lieve that we will be swept off by
disease just as were the French. I
think that the truth lies somewhere
between these two extremes.
Including the two cities Of Colon
and Panama we have at the present
time population Of about 10000 peo-
pie along the canal strip. The great
majority of these people have malaria,
and should large force of foreign labor
ers be sent to the isthnus at this time
they would eventually be infected, just
as were the French. To correct these
conditions we will probably have a
year allotted to us before any large
force of laborers is thrown into the
isthmus. Whether or not we shall be
able to accomplish the result so much
desired remains to be seen. Person
ally, believe that we will succeed, but
It must not be forgotten that we have
before US an entirely new sanitary
problem, and he Is very rash man
who assumes that it will be easy and
simple.
"As for the yellow fever problem,
we anticipate no trouble on that score.
That problem was solved by us in
Havana, and the same principles will
be applied to the isthmus Of Panama.
As in the case Of yellow fever, the
mosquito is responsible for malaria.
My idea is to establish some general
system by which all Of the infected
population can be brought under the
influence Of small daily doses Of quiz
nine, as was so successfully tried in
South Africa. 10 attain this desired
result believe that a system of hos
pitfalls should be established, capable
Of accommodating In the nelghborhood
Of 1000 patients.
1--WE will have to destroy all mosqu!-
to breeding places and, as we did in
Havana, punish any man on whose
property are found the larvae Of mos
Iu1toes. This will, Of course, necessi-
tate the employment Of a competent
inspecting force. Should we be able
to keep the sick rate down to 10 per
cent basis, should consider that we
have done very well indeed, while II
we succeed in reducing it to per
cent, which would mean that we would
have to care for, on an average, $500
sick persons. I should say the result
was remarkable.
IF we are successful we shall need
about 200 doctors along the line Of
no Cia hn