Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-11-19

mission may live and run in to their BUSH
ness In Panama in few minutes by rail-
structed at Ancon which is the Pacific ter
minus of the terminating township of the
governmental isthmian strip. The French
had an excellent hospital at Ancon. They
had also rather a large hospital at Colon
II was necessary, however, In view of the
decay and lack of repair in which these
hospitals were found, to refit them entirely.
And now we have a hospital at Ancon,
one at Panama, convalescent hospital
at Taboga an island some ten miles on the
coast in Panama bay, where very health
full water, healthful bathing and fine fruits
cam 6e had s,d 50 that in all the hospital &C
800 to upward or 1000 beds.
Nursing is Perfect.
American trained nurses may be had at
any point on the isthmus, and any employee
or laborer and any member of his family
Will be taken care of at these hospitals.
In addition to this, and TO protect itself,
the commission has taken over the gem
$4,000 Mexican, fund which had been
voted by Panama for its Improvement, and
Is now completely rebuilding it. 1t has
also taken care of the insane and lepers
of Panama, charging a certain rate per
day. 1t exercises by right of law and by
agreement complete quarantine jurisdic-
canal strip, ard this quarantine is d.
vision OF the sanitation bureau under Gov
ernor Magoon and Colonel Gorgas
Not only has 1t been found possible to
accomplish much by the draining OF swamps
by surface drainage, or turning of stag
nant pools into running water, the cutting
of cutters and the flushing from reservoirs
but the attention of the chief engineer has
also been directed to filling UP with the
spoil from excavation made in construction
sWamps and lowands which now generate
disease. The evidences of successful war
against malaria are not so easy to produce
as those OF the defeat of yellow fever.
One reason is that malaria is so much
harder to combat than is yellow fever.
Victims of Yellow Jack.
To begin with, yellow fever finds its
victims only among those who are not
residents OF the tropical coast towns SO
at least the statistics seem to show. Euro
peans and Americans from the temperate
zone, and Colombians coming from the
nils and mountains are all SUBJECTS OF
yellow FEVER, but generally the blacks
from Jamaica and Trinidad, from the
Islands OF the Caribbean sea, and the Pana-
Tor attack by yellow fever, therefore, is
very much limited. Not So however, with
malaria An examination for experimental
purposes and repeated at various times
under the direction of Colonel GorEas,
SHOWS that at least 20 per cent of people
picked up at random in the isthmus have
that since our occupation the malaria has
not generally taken on the malignant form
OF the days OF the railroad and French
canal construction, but Is rather mild.
The great difficulty In preventing the
transmission Of malaria is that, with 90
or 20 per cent of the persons infected with
malaria, II is impossible TO prevent malaria
mosquitoes from happening upon the source
OF malaria supply in the blood of so per
cent or the Inhabitants of the isthnlus.
Inc cases OF yellow fever, on the other
hand, are comparatively so few that isO.
lating them is a real measure of protection
70 all. Nevertheless, by the reduction in
the total number of mosquitoes which
lnough an enormous task, is still capable
OF accomplishment, the spread Of malaria
may be largely checked. This is a work
or constant attention, and which will last
long after the construction of the canal,
ana VIII be constantly the task of all those
responsible for the government of the strip
Ot course, the less malaria, even of the
milo character, the greater the efficiency
OF the laboreT.
Work Under Way.
The concluding portion of Secretary Taft's
speech dealt with the Organization II the
work, the reconstruction of the Panama
railroad by the commission and the supplies
purchased. About 1900 names are now on
the payroll in connection with the railroad
This means a daily effective force OF about
$500 This force is engaged in rebuilding
the line, double tracking the way across
the isthmus and doing other work which
will ultimately involve about 800 miles of
track laying. On the canal proper 1850
names are on the payroll. with a daily ef-
feotive force OF about 10000. When work Is
well under Roadway about 5000 men viii
be daily employed. The payroll now is
about 100000 month and after the De.