Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-06-24
Sanitary Lessons Learned
While Constructing the Pan
anna Canal Are Being APP
piled in Shipyards Here,
PACIFIC COAST LEADS
IN SHIP CONSTRUCTION
All Drinking Water Is Analysed
to See That It Is Fit to
Drink Steps Taken to Pre-
vent All Sickness.
lsx MORNING lousnA. sesclAL LsAssD wIasl


Washington, June 23,-What the
United States learned at great cost IN
digging the Panama canal is begin
ming to pay rich dividends in aiding
the construction of the great ne"
merchant marine now building. Com
parable in size ana Importance, the
two Jobs have other striking simliarl-
ties in the problems of sanitation
which threatened the success of the
work on the isthmus, but which are
being solved quickly in this country
through radical reforms in health reg
ulation and community spirit found so
effective there.
Hinder the direction of Lieut. Col.
Philip s. Doane, the shipping board
department of health and sanitation Is
supervising every one of the scores OF
shipyards for the protection of work
ers Eager cooperation has been re-
ceived from state, municipal and IN
dustrial agencies, which recognize
that the improved conditions sought
to be created are of more than passing
benefit in the matter of health, as
well as good business" Results have
justified the efforts by lessening the
labor turnover, decreasing the loss OF
time due to sickness and Fastening
the output of the ships needed to win
the war.
Some Striking Instances.
Some striking instances of the de-
partments work were made public
today by the shipping board.
Some weeks ago, at little shipyard
recently set down in a rather sleepy
Atlantic coast town, an outbreak OF
dysentery was reported among ship
yard workers. The shipping boards
sanitary engineer found that, while
the drinking water supply used in the
yards was entirely pure, being chlori-
mated, there was a temporary water
supply for concrete mixing, in which
polluted river water was used. Work
men had drunk from the concrete wa
ter supply, despite warning signs. AS
the best way of eliminating all
chances in the matter, the sanitary
engineers arranged for purifying the
concrete water, too, using chloride OF
lime to make 1t safe to drink
One of the oldest communities in
New England, place of considerable
population, was found to be without
q health officer, to have dangerous
open sewers and lack garbage collec-
tion. When an old shpyard in that
town was rehabilitated, Uncle Sam
said, Clean up!" And the town has
responded.
The Pacific coast threw its energy
into shipbuilding to such good pur-
pose that it launched the first mer-
chant ships and made the first ship
building records. Likewise, In it's ca
gerness to build ships, the Pacific
coast occasionally overlooked good
sanitation.
One yard in that locality was handi-
capped by sickness. Workmen were
hired only to quit, and during a SIN
gle week the superintendent of stee
construction, the foreman riveter and
the foreman of the plate shop were all
laid up in hospitals and their places
We're being filled by assistants just re-
covering from attacks of disease.
Many Facilities Lacking.
Inspection showed that the yard
lacked sanitary toilets and equipment
for serving the men warm meals II
had, too, number of small drinking
fountains. Moreover, large city sew
er which ran over the tide flats near
the shipyard was broken open, making
easy the spread of disease through
flies. The shipyard company had
called the attention of the nearby city
to the had condition of its sewer
only to be told that no city funds
would be available until July. Wher
the government stepped in through
the shipping board, backed by the
military authorities, who refused t.
detail soldiers to guard that yard un
til the sewer was repaired, there wa.
hurried meeting of the city council
and special appropriation of $4,000
to make repairs. 1t took special or.
dinance, but 1t was done in five day.
after Uncle Sam got on the fob.
In another shipbuilding center there
was a mysterious outbreak of disease
Fifty ship workers came down with
1t at the same time, with temperature.
running up to 103 or more. Their,
were rumors of poisoning by German
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