Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-21
PRECAUTIONS IGNORED
SPREAD OF YELLOW FEVER ON
THE ISTHMUS.
Unofficial Advices Received From the
Canal Zone-Trouble About
Drinking Water.

Unofficial adviees received here from rep
resentatives of the government in the canal
zone, dated at the end Of the first week in
January. are to the effect that while the
current reports of the prevalence of yellow
fever on the isthmus are exaggerated the
pest does not exist there, and some appre-
hension is expressed that if 1t continues to
spread there will be a wholesale exodus of
the canal builders. The cases so far devel-
oped are said to have been probably pre-
ventable had proper precautions been
adopted.
But the large influx of people of the north,
unacquainted with tropical climatic dangers
and the best means to avoid them. has I'M
doubtedly afforded great opportunity for the
spread of yellow fever. The American wo-
men particularly are said to be careless.
and they don the lightest white muslin shirt
waists in the evening and are almost surely
bitten by the poisonous aniphoies or 1eVer-
bearing mosquito
The officials of the commission here
stoutly deny the charge that proper med
ical supplies and facilities are lacking In
the zone, and they produce figures to snow
that they have sent hundreds of barrels OF
petroleum and formaldehyde and crude sui
phur, while one shipment of insect powder
weighed twenty TONS
= Regarded as Unnecessary.
The commission has declined to grant the
request of the resident medical officers for
the establishment of a meteorological lab
oratory, which would involve an expendi-
ture of about $1OOO,0OO to begin with. On
the ground that the temporary stay OF
large number of Americans on the tsthmuS
would not warrant the government IN en-
barking upon an extensive and prolonged
and expensive study Of tropical diseases
which may be of great theoretical value
but would not be nearly as important as
the adoption of comprehensive and practi-
cal sanitary measures based on the present
knowledge of medical officers.
1t was also considered expedient to de-
cline recommendation from the medical
department for the appointment of one hum
bred surgeons and for the immediate cree
ton of a hospital for the accommodation
of 1850 patients. both measures being
regarded as far beyond the present neeos
of the limited population in the zone.
Trouble About Water.
The commission has secured a rather in
teresting explanation of the complaints that
have come from the isthmus respecting the
selling of potable water. 1t appears that
for some time past the zone authorities
have been selling at a nominal charge OF
ten cents a barrel the surplus fine water
pumped from the deep wells at Ancon. the
charge being just about Sufhclent TO cover
the cost of pumping and handling the
water ,
This supply being thrown on the market.
Obliged the native water peddlers who OBJ
tanned their water from springs near the
City of Panama to reduce their charge 10
consumers to 10 cents per five-gallon can.
Incident to the cleaning of the Ancon reser-
voir and the repair of the plant the Ameri-
can officials pumped only as much water as
they absolutely required for the govern
ment building and offered no surplus for
sale. Immediately the native water ped
dlers increased their charge 10 10 cents
per can.
Then Gen. Davis announced the com.
pletion of the repairs and again onereo
the surplus well water for sale at lne o.o
rates whereupon the water carriers Ell
fected an organization to maintain the
price at Is cents and adopted resolutions
bitterly denouncfng the American ON
Gals for attempting to destroy their bust-
ness. The population naturally complains
of the excessive water charge. but the
government officials see no means OF cur
ing the evil until the new water works
are completed, which, it Is expected, Will
be some time next June.