Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1913-08-01


pitfalls helps a lot, for of course the
mosquito cannot carry malaria until
1t has bitten a malarious person.
Rats, that carry the bubonic plague,
and flies, that transmit various other
diseases, have received adequate at
tention from the sanitary depart
ment, and dumb brutes are not neg
lected. AS an instance of the latter
fact, every horse and mule in the
zone must be placed at night In one
of series of corrals established by
the department and there 1t is fed
and cared for the owner paying a
reasonable fixed charge for the serv-
ice. These animals, if left out. often
are attacked by a disease that is in
fictitious and may be transmitted to
human beings. Besides that. the ma.
tive cannot be persuaded to keep his
stable in sanitary condition.
Many other sanitary regulations
are imposed on the people Of the
isthmus. All garbage must be de
posted in receptacles to be collected
by the departments wagons and
burned in its crematories. Chickens
may not be kept within certain dis
lance of any dwelling Rain water
may not be gathered and kept IN
open receptacles. That last rule il
not easy to enforce, for the Panaman'
ian prefers rain water for drinking
purposes. But all these are for the
general good, and the United States
has the treaty right to attend to the
sanitation of Panama and Colon al
well as of the zone.
In addition to the two great hos
pitfalls at Ancon and Colon, the depart
ment of sanitation maintains dis
pensary with physician and nurse Al
, every town along the route of the
canal and at Porto Bello, where thC
commission has a big stone quarry
The larger hospital, on Ancon hill
close to Panama, in the spring of tht
year had about 900 patients. IT.
wards and the residences of thC
physicians and nurses are scattered
picturesquely though rather incon
veniently on the east and nortl
slopes of the beautiful hill, and the
grounds are filed with magnificent
trees and lovely towering vines and
bushes. A little further around tht
hill IL the hospital for the insane
and it. too, is well filled, for the ia
maican and Barbadian negroes q
crazy at the slightest provocation.
In Colon, stretching along the sea
shore in the only pretty part of tina
| fiat city, is the other hospital, smallei
but no less efficient and we'll manned
than that at Ancon. It's grounds ar,
swept continually by the refreshing
winds from the Atlantic and many o
its wards are built out over the wa
ter. Both hospitals are served b.
corps of physicians and surgeons
mostly rather young, but able, amb
tious and studious. Among them ar
a number Of army and navy surgeons
These men are acquiring invaluabl
experience and not a few OF Their
have been called away to positions O
great responsibility and high remur
Grafton.
One mighty good thing the Frencl
company did was to establish san
tarium on Taboga island, and til
Americans, recognizing its value
promptly reopened 1t for the benef
of white convalescents. These ma
remain on the pretty island for tw
weeks, paying 50 a day for room
board and medical attention.
Taboga lies twelve miles due soutl
of Panama and is as attractive a troI
ical isle as one will often see. II
curving white beaches in little bay
are ideal bathing places; it's loft
hills, clad with dense vegetation. al
ford occupation for the climber, an
the small fishing village of Taboga i
ancient and not uninteresting. Gol
geous birds and flowers and lusciou
fruits are everywhere. Nothing NOR
perfectly beautiful can be imagine
than an evening on the grassy slope
of the sanitarium grounds. A myria
stars glitter overhead, the Souther1
Cross and Campus swinging abov
the southern horizon. In the fores
night birds sing and a variety of tire
locust sends forth a clear. musica
note that can be heard q mile In tn
little public square of the village tn
native women and children are laugh
ing and singing as the men set fort
on all-night fishing trips. And of /
the north, this side of the glow O
Panama, wink the light buoys of tn
canals sea channel.
II in later years Taboga does no
become a favorite winter resort 70
wealthy Americans. 1 shall miss m
guess.