The Washington herald., 1906-11-18

Al present so far as known there is not single case
yellow Panama-at least along the canal strip
The last reported was year ago.
than that, the sanitary authorities do not an
tcipate of the disease in the Isthmus Should
il manifest itself again it is not leved that II would
grave proportions vel have the experts the
situation in hand
Thus q great barrier to the construction of the canal
has ben lifted The removal of this difficulty leaves no
hndrance way making the dirt fly the
great ditch that link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
and which viii be used in carrying such vast amount
OF the worlds commerce
Upon the solution of this problem-whethcr or not
yellow could be bauished from the sthmus-de-
pended only in building the present waterway
degree usefulness humanity when finished
When the Panama Commission took up the work to
assigned this disease problem presented
even greater difficulties than those of engineering.
An of worImen could be maintained there. and
certainly capable engineers and ove7seers would not be
content remain there should previous conditions pre-
FEVER BALKED FRANCE.
Because Of the rsyages of yellow fever, work had to
he abandoned the canal on two separate occasions under
the regime Of the French government.
In October 1854 when the French company had the
stnmus force Of 1924 men, it lost I6 During the same
month in 1903. however the Isthman Canal Commission
and the Panama Railroad Company, employing 196S5 men,
only 5l
If yellow fever could be- banished from the isthmus
N seemed probable that the disease would be carried from
the canal ports ports of the Philippine Islands
those of South China and other parts of the Orient
Well as the Pacific Slope.
about three months. which ample time for d ship
reach Asia from the Isthmus Panama. The stegomyia
fasciata mosquito abounds in the Orient. climatic
and sanitary conditions there favorable rropa
CATION of the disease
once introduced into the cities and towns of China
the loss of life would be enormous and the effects upon
disastrous, while difficulty inducing the
Chinese and other Orcntals oadopt modern sanitary
methods Of dealing with the scourge would be very diff
fcult.
The Panama Canal Commission had one great advant
its
with the epidemic yellow fever When the French gov
ernment undertook the work of digging a canal the
cause Of disease combat it were unknown
Through the discovery Of the late Mai Walter Reed of
the United States army the causatfve agent in the
transmission yellow now known 10 the world
As result scientific researches in Havana +, 1o
IS transmitted from person TO another through the
bite Of the mosquito stegomyia faciat He also
showed how the pest could be fought disease
eliminated.
BIG MAN FOR BIG TASK.
Credit for having rid Panama of yellow fever belongs
to Col W G Gorgas of the Medical Department. Of the
United States Army. When President Roosevelt cast
about to find to make the isthmus fit place in
which TO live selected Dr. Gorgas as the chief sani
tary officer of the Canal Zone The had already
demonstrated his the big task by successfully
stamping yellow fever epidemics the Southern
States and In Cuba.
II was tremendous proposition however that CON
fronted Gorgasone that seemed justify the ap-
rropration 100000 and the employment of 1000 men
az
ever attempted before in the history Of
medicine
When American authorities took charge of the Canal
Zone they found it in condition of filth beyond
breeding mosquitoes favorable CON
dtons for propagation 1t necessary give Panama
good cleaning up and to adopt modern sanitary measures
AS a precautionary measure in preventing intro
dueton Of disease from outside effective quarantine
regulations put in force against South American
rnrts Quarantine stations established Panama
Ancon Cristoba and Colon, and all vessels arriving at
oTr-r- e5,ls-
severest inspection.
If a contagious disease found aboard, vigorous
stems were taken prevent its further spread If
gary the vessels fugated and dsnfected and per-