The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-12-17

Waring did in New York when he
cleaned its streets. The results have
been astounding. The Isthmus had
been a byword for deadly unhealth-
fulness. Now. after two years of our
occupation the conditions as regards
sickness and the death rate compare
favorably with reasonably healthy To-
calities in the United States.
Hospitals and Their Treatment.
inspected the large hospitals at
Ancon and Colon. which are excel
lent examples of what tropical hos
pitfalls should be. ! also inspected the
receiving hospitals in various settle
ments. | went thru a number OF the
wards in which the colored men are
treated, a number OF those in which
the white men are treated-Ameri-
cans and Spaniardsr Both white men
and black men are treated exactly
alike, and their treatment is as good
as that which could be obtained in
our first-class hospitals at home.
Health Showing Remarkably Good.
Just at present the health showing
on the 1sthmus is remarkably good
so much better than In most sec
lions of the United States that I do
not believe that 1t can possibly con-
tinue at quite its present average.
Thus, early in the present year
band of several hundred Spanlards
were brought to the Isthmus as la.
borers, and additions to their num-
Der have been made from time to
time; yet since their arrival in Feb
ruary last but one Of those Spaniards
thus brought over to work on the
canal has died of disease, and he of
typhoid fever. Two others were kill
ed, one in a railroad accident, and
one by a dynamite explosion.
OF the 5000 white Americans, in
Guiding some 1.2oO women and chill
dren. not a single death has occur
red In the past three months, where
as in an average city in the United
States the number of deaths for a
similar number of people in thar
time would have been about 80 from
disease. This very remarkable show
ing can not of course permanently
obtain, but it certainly goes to
prove that IL good care is taken the
Isthmus is not an unhealthy place
In October, of the 10000 negroes Oh
the roll sc died from disease; pneu
monia being the most destructive
disease, and malarial fever coming
second.
Diminution of Mosquitoes.
In Panama and Colon the death
rate has also been greatly reduced,
this being directly due to the vigor-
Gus work of the special brigade of
employees who have been inspecting
houses where the stegomyia mosqui-
to is to be found. and destroying its
larvae and breeding places, and do
ing similar work in exterminating
the malarial mosquito-in short. in
performing all kinds. of hyglenic la
Dor. A. little over a. year ago. all
kinds OF mosquitoes, Including the
two fatal species. were. found i'
Corozal, some four miles from La
Boca, was formerly one Of the most
unsanitary places on the Isthmus,
the most unsanitary There
was a marsh with a pond In the mid
die. Doctor Gorgas had both the
marsh and pond drained and the
brush cleared OF. so that now, when
went over the. ground, IT appeared
like a smooth meadow iptersected |
by drainage bitches. The breeding
places and sheltering spots of the
iangerou mosquitoes had been COM
pletely destroyed. The result is that
corozal FOR the last six months (like |
La Boca which formerly also had
very unsanitary record) shows one
Of the best sick rates in the Zone,
having less than / per cent. week
admitted to the hospital.
Colon Water Supply.
1t was not practicable, with the
force at the commissions disposal,
and in view of the need that the force
should be used In the larger town of
Psnkna, to begin this work before
winter. Water mains We're
hen laid in the town and water was
to the people early in
March from a temporary reservoir.
This reservoir proved to be of in
ufficient capacity before the end of
he dry season AID the shortage was
made up by hauling water over the
Panama railroad, so that there was
It all times an ample supply of the
very best water. Since that time the
lew reservoir back of Mount Hope
las been practically completed.
visited this reservoir. 1t is lake
,ver a mile long and half a mile
,road. 1t now carries some 100000
100 gallons OF frst-class water. I
Onward herewith a photograph of
his lake, together with certain other
of what I saw while |
vas on the Isthmus. Nothing but a
,ataclysm will hereafter render it
Necessary in the dry season to haul
water for the use of Colon and Girls
obal.