The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1913-08-01

buildings occupied by human beings.
Ordinary mosquito netting would not
do and only copper wire will stand
the climate there. Consequently
fine meshed copper screening is used.
If any Anopnelines escape the larva-
eide and succeed in gaining entrance
to habitation, the mosquito-killers
are summoned and seldom fail to get
them. Nine days must elapse after
| mosquito has bitten malarious per-
son before it becomes infectious, and
this gives the mosquito brigade plenty
of time to kill the insects while they
are asleep on the walls. The isola-
ton of infected persons In the hos
pitfalls helps a lot. for of course the
mosquito cannot carry malaria until
| it has bitten a malarious person.
| Rats, that carry the bubonic plague,
and flies, that transmit various ether
/ 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 a series of corrals established by
the department and there it is fed
and cared for, the owner paying a
reasonable fixed charge for the serv-
ice. These animals, if LETT out, often
are attacked by disease that is in
] fectious and may be transmitted to
human beings Besides that, the ma
tive cannot be persuaded to keep his
stable in sanitary condition.
i 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 a certain dis
lance of any dwelling. Rain water
may not be gathered and kept in
/ open receptacles. That last rule is
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
anitation of Panama and Colon as
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 at
every town along the route of the
canal and at Porto Bello, where the
commission has big stone quarry.
The larger hospital, On Ancon hill,
close to Panama, in the spring of the
year had about 900 patients. It's
wards and the residences of the
physicians and nurses are scattered
picturesquely though rather incon.
veniently on the east and north
slopes of the beautiful hill, and the
grounds are filled with magnificent
trees and lovely Towering vines and
bushes. A little further around the
hill is the hospital for the insane.
and it, too, is well filled, for the ia
maican and, Barbadian negroes go
crazy at the slightest provocation.
In Colon, stretching along the sea
shore in the only pretty part of that
fiat city, is the other hospital, smaller
but no less efficient and well manned
than that at Ancon. Its grounds are
swept continually by the refreshing
winds from the Atlantic and many of
its wards are built out over the wa.
ter. Both hospitals are served by
corps of physicians and surgeons,
mostly rather young, but able, ambi.
tious and studious.
One mighty good thing the French
company did was to establish a sani.
tarium on Taboga island. and the
Americans, recognizing its value.
promptly reopened 1t for the benefit
of white convalescents. These may
remain on the pretty island for two
weeks, paying So day for room,
board and medical attention.
Taboga lies twelve miles due south
of Panama and is as attractive a trop-
ical isle as one win often see. It's
curving white beaches in little bays
are ideal bathing places; its lofty
hills. clad with dense vegetation, af-
ford occupation for the climber, and
the small fishing village of Taboga is
ancient and not embarrassing. Cor
geous birds and flowers and luscious
fruits are everywhere. Nothing more
perfectly beautiful can be imagined
than an evening on the grassy slopes
or the sanitarium grounds. A myriad
stars glitter overhead, the Southern
Cross and Campus swinging above
the southern horizon. In the forest
night birds sing and variety of tree
locust sends forth clear, musical
note that can be heard mile. In the
little public square of the village the
native women and children are laugh
ing and singing as the men set forth
on aIl-night fishing trips. And Off to
the north, this side of the glow of
Panama, wink the light buoys of the
canals sea channel.
II in later years Taboga does not
become a favorite winter resort for
wealthy Americans, / shall miss my
I n71@ma