The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-16
THE HEALTH OF THE ISTHMUS.
PANAMA NOT REALLY A BAD
PLACE TO LIVE IN.
Causes OF Is Reputation for Unheaith.
~ fuiness-Mortaiity Among Foreigners
Not Excessiy Measures to Improve
Sanitary Conditions Now In Force.

PANAMA, Oct SIN view OF the many
and diversified reports now circulated In
the United States In regard to health oon-
ditions on the Isthmus, there are here pre-
scented some facts on the subject which may
be the means OF correcting erroneous i'm
pressious already deeply rooted In the
minds OF many Americans at home.
There Is no gainsaying the fact that
Panama has acquired very bad name. The
country first began to establish It's repu-
tation for unhealthfulness during the oon-
strlction Of the Panama Railroad, each
sleeper in which road, 1t has been said,
represents the life OF laborer sacrificed
by disease.
This lie simply gross exaggeration. A
man to every sleeper with road forty
seven miles In length would represent
tremendous mortality,
u While a large number OF laborers sue
cumbed to disease, yet the number OF VIC
Tins In proportion to the number employed
came nowhere near the sleeper ratio. One
cause OF the mortality was the fact that
Chinese coolies were experimental with
IN the construction Of the road.
This class of labor proved unsatisfactory.
The conditions by which they were sur
rounded disheartened the Chinese and they
concluded that the quickest way for them
to reach their native land was to COM
init suicide. Consequently, the mortality
among them was not Of a nature to be taken
into account when computing death Stats
tics. One Of the largest towns along the
line Of the canal bears the name OF Mataohin,
which, translated into English, means,
kill Chinaman," and is derived from the
r.. mil tal
eide at that point.
Again, during the construction OF the
canal by the French the mortal ty was very
large. but that can be understood when
the reasons therefor are given.
In the first place no sanitary preoau.
tons worth mentioning were taken, and in
the second place the foreigners in the
employ of the canal company did not take
even ordinary care OF themselves. The
Frenchmen came here under the fond de-
lusion that they could continue the same
life they had led in Paris.
The result soon made itself manifest
With no proper precautionary measures
against disease, yellow fever was soon
prevalent among them, and the French
men, debilitated by dissipation fell easy
victims to it.
Since active work on the canal under the
French regime ceased the mortality among
foreigners has not been any greater than
Is usual in tropical countries There has
been an outbreak Of yellow fever coca
sionally due in most instances to imported
cases from neighboring ports, particularly
Guayaquil, Ecuador
The last outbreak occurred in $780, when
the crews of vessels with coal consigned to
steamship companies suffered most two
or three ships losing their entire crews.
In fact, that little epidemic was almost
entirely confined to the sailing ships. The
outbreak preceding occurred in 1897, dur
ing which there was an insignificant num-
Der of isolated cases.
At the present time the health conditions
are, relatively speaking, good. Panama is
more healthful than other low coast places
In the tropics hereabouts.
The average death rate in this city now
Is 100 a month. Last month 1Ol deaths
81. TakIg the population as 10000, tho
ratio is easily arrived at.
Sixty per cent. Of the deaths occurred
among the natives, the remaining 10 per
cent. being divided mohg Europeans.
North, Central and South Americans and
the other foreigners. The mortality among
the North Americans was slight.
Owing to the very unsantary manner
in which the natives live, especially the
lower classes, it is remarkable that the
death rate among them is not higher.
Tuberculosis ia very common disease
with them, and last month there were nine
teen deaths from that disease alone, more
than from any other disease tuberculosis
being highly communicable by infection.
the spread of this disease can be materially
lessened through the isolation of patients.
There have been a few cases of yellow
fever this year, and there are at present
two or three patients in the canal hospital,
Italians, now on the road to recovery.
Only one death from yellow fever among
the Americans has occurred, the victim
being Cunningham, an employee in the
police service of the canal The Americans
In general have retained exceptionally good
health, Notwithstanding the fact that they
have come down during the unhealthful
season.
Most energetic measures have been taken
by the United States sanitary service to
Btamp out this disease, and while. owing
to the close proximity Of yellow fever dis
tricts, it may not be stamped cut altogether,
yet, there is no doubt that il will be re-
duced to a minimum. Guayaquil. a well
known yellow fever hotbed, is only three
days from Panama by steamer; hence.
since the incubation period ia fixed at
maximum Of ten days, person contracting
the disease in Guayaqlil can take passage
for Panama and be in Panama few days
before the development of the disease.
The only way to prevent that condition OF
affairs will be to stamp out the yellow fever
at places within the incubation radius, a
rather difficult task.
The sanitary officers are waging an in
cessant warfare on the mosquitoes, and are
gradually getting all the canal buildings
screened. Particular care IL taken TO
screen all patients, precaution which was
never thought of in the past.
The reports current In regard to the mos.
quitoes are somewhat exaggerated, there
not being more here than are to be found
in parts OF New Jersey. The natives suffer
very little from them, as the insects oonfne
their attacks to the new arrivals, those with
fresh, rich blood, being quite sensitive on
that point.
Among the other diseases prevailing here
are to be enumerated smallpox, leprosy, beri-
beri, diphtheria, malarial and pernicious
fevers, and occasionally pneumonia. There
are some cases Of leprosy, particularly on
the Island Of TabOHa about fourfaen Tntlea