The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-06-23
Lessons Learned at Great Cost
in Digging Panama Canal
Bring Rich Returns.
TWO JOBS HAVE A
SIGNIFICANCE
Shipping Boards Department of
Health and Sanitation Has
Charge of Work.


United States learned at great cost in
digging the Panama Canal is beginning
to pay rich dividends in aiding the
construction of the great new merchant
marine now building. Comparable in
size and Importance, the two Jobs have
other striking smilarities in the prob
lens of sanitation which threatened
the success of work on the isthmus,
but which are being solved quickly in
this country through radical reforms
in health regulation and community
spirit found SO effective there.
Under direction OF Lieutenant Col
onel Philip s. Doane, the Shipping
Boards Department OF Health and San
itation is supervising every one of the
scores of shipyards for the protection
of workers. Eager cooperation has
been received from state, municipal
and industrial agencies, which recog
nize that the improved conditions
sought to be created are of more than
passing benefit in the matter of health,
as We'll 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 of the De
partinent's work We're maoe public to-
day by the Shipping Board
Some weeks ago, at a little shipyard
recently set down in a rather sleepy
Atlantic coast town. an outbreak Of dys-
EMERY was reported among shipyard
workers. The Shipping Boards sani-
tary engineer found that. while the
yards was entirely pure, being chlor-
mated, there was 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 it safe to drink.
One of the oldest communities in
New England. a place of considerable
population, was found to be without a
health officer, to have dangerous open
sewers and lack garbage collection.
When an old shipyard in that town
was rehabilitated. Uncle Sam said,
Clean up!' And the town has re-
sponded
The Pacific coast threw its energy
into shipbuilding to such good purpose
that it launched the first merchant
ships and made the first ship building
records. Likewise, in it's eagerness to
build ships, the Pacific coast occasion
ally overlooked good sanitation
One yard in that locality was handi-
capped by sickness. Workmen were
hired only TO suit. and during single
week the superintendent OF steel con-
struction, 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
recovering from attacks of disease.
Inspection showed that the yari
lacked sanitary toilets md equinmen.
for serving tie men warm meals. 1t
had too small q number Of drinking
fountains. Moreover, a large city sewer
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 bad condition of its sewer. only
to be told that no city funds would be
available for repairing the break until
July. When the government stepped
in through the Shipping Board. backed
=
fused to detail soldiers to guard That
yard until the sewer was repaired.
there was hurried meeting OF the City
Council and a special appropriation OF
$1,000 to make repairs 1t took a
special ordinance but 1t was done five
days after Uncle Sam got on the job.
In another ship building center there
was mysterious outbreak of disease
Fifty ship workers came down with il
at the same time, with temperatures
running up TO f03 or more There
were rumors Of poisoning by German
spies. When Shipping Board health
officers investigated. however. they
found that mosquitoes Were TO blame.
and took steps to drain nearby swamp
land in cooperation with the local au-
TIL critics
Mosquito work viii probably play as
Important part in ship building this
summer. the country over. as it did in
the liuisding OF The Panama canal IN
several dozen localities active drainage