The Savannah morning news., 1904-01-17

Under these sanitary Improvements
and regulations, with strict police su-
pervision to compel decent, moral ltv-
ing, the canal may be dug at moder-
ate cost in human life. Certainly 1t
will not be as expensive in this re-
spect as would an attempt to construct
it over the Nicaraguan route. Inc
diseases prevalent here, aside from
rheumatism and tuberculosis, which
are traceable to the native mode of
living, are typhoid, yellow and per-
nicious Cor malariaD fevers, smallpox,
with some leprosy, and among the ma
tives beri-beri. Beri-beri is a disease
which sometimes causes wasting away
and sometimes creates a dropsical con-
dition in the limbs, in that respect re-
sembling elephantisis. 1t is a trouble
which must be treated specifically. All
the other diseases common to the 18TH
mus can be controlled in the main by
the institution of such sanitary meas
ures as have enumerated.
Panama Superior to Nicaragua.
This would not be the case with a
canal over the Nicaraguan route. 1t
is the common experience that extern
sive excavation in new tropical coun-
tries, where the soil is damp perpet-
ually and vegetation excessive, inva-
riably results in sickness which no or
binary measures can control, and in
an appalling loss of life. Nicaragua is
an untamed jungle, and it attempting
to dig a canal by that route we
should have to contend against those
effects of first operations effects
from which there is no escape. The
simple process of stirring up the sur
face there would prove a most deadly
one, whereas we shall encounter no
such difficulty on the isthmus. The
French had that experience, and we
shall escape it. The ground along
the entire route of the canal here was
subjugated by them, so far as first
operations are concerned, and we need
apprehend none of the obstacles pre-
sented by absolutely new work in a
dank tropical country. At Nicaragua
we should, however, have to face all
the trouble the French originally en-
countered here-encountered at the
cost of thousands of human lives.
That we shall have sickness here
and plenty of it-when the canal work
begins, is to be expected. Its extent
may, however, be limited by applying
the necessary measures for sanitary
Improvement before any large con-
struction forces are brought here.
What will follow if the sanitary work
is done in advance may be controlled.
Proceeding upon the assumption that
10000 men will be engaged on the
work, we may conclude that 10 per
cent. of that number, or 1000, will all
the time have to be carried upon the
sick list. That number will by no
means be excessive, considering the
character of the work to be done.
Necessary Hospital Equipment.
For the accommodation and treat
ment of these 1000 sick an elaborate
hospital system will be provided. At
Colon the railroad now maintains an
admirable hospital which, with some
slight additions and Improvements, will
easily accommodate 200 patients. This
will, of course, become the property of
the United States, and will be imme-
diately available. as will the magnifl-
cent establishment erected on the side
of Ancon Hill. overlooking the City Of
Panama. The French spent about s3,-
100000 on this hospital. which has
more than thirty buildings, a perfect
water supply, absolutely perfect drain