The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-20
CANAL COMMISSIONS REPLY.
DENIAL or TEE OHARGBs MADE
BY DR.. o. A. Il REED.

ma r. C0mmls1On WAS nesDonaole
fer the Existence Of YeIlOW Fever
on ne Bthmus = Rsfuted b. OOl. ".
GorEaA the yellow Fever Expert
WASHINGTON, March iS.-h . long letter
TO Secretary Of War Taft tho Isehmian
Canal Commission makes categorical
denials Of charges Of DF. o. Al L. Reed Of
Cincinnati who. 10 q letter 10 SECRETARY
Taft published a. the time, scored the
Canal Commission severely and especially
Commissioner 0rImahy, IN charge OF The
sanitary department., for hoompStonoy
and decentralization Of management.
Mr.. Reed IL chairman Of the legislative
COMMITTEES Of the American Medical bo-
oiety and was In the Canal Zone on tour
Of inspection. In his charges he gave
detailed Incidents Of alleged mismanage-
ment, among other things Of how it took
two days 10 procure necessary articles
valued at 30 cents for an insane patient,
and that the cost Of securing these articles
amounted TO more than 80.
One Of the most serious OF "; Heo9 ~.
charges was that tho responsibility Tor
the present existence Of yellow fever on
the isthmus can be placed nowhere else
than upon the Isthmian Canal Commission,
In its answer 10 this the commission says;
This charge lie sufficiently refuted by
the following extracts from letter dated
Feb. /. addressed 10 the Governor OF the
Zone, by Col. w. c. Gorgas. the chief
sanitary otiicer Of the commission
In answer 70 conversation with yourself
this morning ] desire 70 state that 90 not
think the DELAYS In ssttng me3oa 5uppHes
70 do with the yellow fever AZ present IN
Panama. would also Hike 70 state that there
Ia every evidence that the work is being en-
tlrely successful, Just a. II was In Havana.
OF course. ] am referring entirely 70 the
yellow foyer work.
Another charge was that while an X-ray
eIpert is drawing q salary, no A-ray out
NJ has reached the Isthmus, and also that
the request that the outfit ordered be
equipped with Crooke's tubes was per.
emptoTily refused. This IL den led, and
the letter saws concerning the selection
Of the Crooke's tubes that this statement
evidences either woful ignorance or
misstatement OF fact"
That the health department has been
hampered In its efforts TO suppress yellow
fever was also charged by DR., Reed.
The commission responds " enumeraJlhB
the number Of tons Of disinfectants sent
to the Isthmus and says that every re-
quest for such material met with prompt
reply. -,
June, 1904 the city Of Panama was ap-
parently free from yellow fever. The reply
says that two members OF the present
commission repeatedly visited the lsthmus
during the past five years and they know
that the city has never been free from
the disease. Every effcrt Is being made
says the commission, TO stamp out the dis
ease, aud rigid regulations have been
adopted TO this end. A much OF tight
Ia being made on malarial as on yellow
fever, and a vast amount Of good work
has been done, and there are hopes for an
eradication Of the disease.
The communication denies practically
all Of the statements made by DR.. Reed
In concluding Il says that the commission
realizes the euormity OF the charges, which
il true, would convict the sanitary stan
Of gross abandonment Of duty. But thus
far il has not been learned that the plan
Of sanitation Is defective OF lacking m
ella sfiCitv