New-York tribune., 1905-07-06
FIGHTING YELLOW FEVER.
Panama Nurse Tells Her Erpe-
rience-Tnps of Dead Train. "

There is doubt that the yellow fever stu-
alton on the Isthnlus Of Panama is grave and
growing rapidly more acute" said Miss A. A
Robinson. OF No 4OS West 57th-st.. one OF the
nurses who returned from Colon by the steam
ship Advance yesterday Miss Robinson has been
year on the isthmus. first nurse at the
Ancon Hospital and later as nlatron at the hos
pital in Colon
Governor Nagoon is very anxious. and
the physicians. for yellow fever strikes down
The white man, while the negro is immune.
Some Of the finest young men who have gone
10 the isthmUs since I have been there have
died Of f. and they were well set up clean boys
with good principles. DEATHS occur right along
II doesn't seem 10 be the fault of the govern
ment, or OF any one in particular. but it is
agreed on all hands that what should have
been done before spadefuI of earth was dug
OUT Of the canal was TO provide good sanitary
quarters for the engineers and others who were
70 work there. Why, these poor fellows have
been drinking unflCered rain water, and a num-
Der oc them came down without mosquito bars
which are a necessity Of life in a region where
the mosquito carries the yellow fever infection"
Asked as TO the dead train" which. it has
been stated. runs from Colon to Monkey Hill
Cemetery mile and half south always once
and sometimes as many as fourteen times a
day Miss Robinson replied: The train GER
times oftener, but never knew it 10 run four
teen times. The truth is that while there has
been just much yellow fever in the isthnus
since the American occupation as before the
deaths are fewer by far There are now about
fifty American trained nurses down there. Before
We came there the two hospitals were in charge
OF the Sisters Of St Vincent de Paul In those
days there was q steady procession of the dead
their way TO the cemetery. The Sisters used
TO lock up the wards at night and go home In
The morning they would come and unlock them
and find some Of their patients dead. They
were lovely women, but quite innocent of all
the elements Of mOlern nursing as we found
when those who remained for a while after we
came helped with the diets. They thought II
so cruel IN US 10 have nurse or orderly sit I'D
al night in each ward. and held p their hands
in amazement AT the mention Of ice bags
typhoid baths ana antiseptic surgery"
Miss Robinson is a Boston girl and graduate
Of the Hartford Hospital Training School for
Nurses. She Went out with a party Of eight
other nurses on July u, 1904.
NO more Isthuus Of Panama for me-" she
said yesterday. The physical discomforts are
great, but they are nothing TO the mental star
Hation- There is absolutely no recreation-no
music, no churches, no bathing no books or
magazines no driving. except round and round
inside the towns Nobody ever walks, and ath-
lrLlc Sports are lrlpOss- Die in q climate that
Eas six months OF rainy season, and Is ali the
tine like a warm vapOr bath. The bare mo-
notony OF the nurses existence down there is
LppaIIng. The food is good, although Ausrf-
can food was ar first very hard TO obtain, and
fresh vegetables are scarce, and fish rare, on
account OF tax that Is placed on ~. The
hospital buildings are good, the nurses quar-
ters are comfortable. the hours no longer
than heHe in New York. but the absolute stag
nation Of the mental and emotional life wears
che out Many Of the nurses are coming home,
though there Is no organized strike or revolt
Fifty dollars month is what they get to begin
en- II they give satisfaction il is later raised
10 500 OF course, board, lodging and laundry
are found
Under Governor Davis the hospitals were
sorely handicapped for supplies, owing, sup
pose, 10 the desire Of the Governor 70 keep eX-
Ienses down 10 their minimum.
ITO illustrate: II used 10 he my duty as
uarr0n 10 make out che requisiLlOns for each
days supplies. Fifty pounds OF ice was just
sufficient 10 give US what we needed for the
tUenry-fOur hours Day after day Governor
Davis would cut this down TO twenty-five
POUNDS, with the result that our American boys
would toss about for eight or ten hours burn
Ing UP for lack OF a cooling drink. Under Gov
- ernOr MagOOn all this has been changed"
Why should the trained nurse who can earn
her So a week straight along in NewYOrk
City elect 10 nurse in a government hospital in
Panama for $50 month, with no end OF priva-
ton thrown in Miss Robinson secuted the
notion that patriotism had anything 10 dc
with il
They re mostly either army nurses or nurses
who are tired 10 death Of private nursing and
want change" said she. That was why I
VENT wanted a change"