The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-11

stegomyia, he is very apt to get the
disease; ana II another one comes along
soon after he will probably get II. and
30 on, but II no newly arrived persons
come in. the disease might die out by
killing off part of the population ana
immunizing the rest.
Panama before Its cleanup was
fine case Of this for centuries. Nom
immunes were constantly arriving there
on their way to California or the west
coast of South America They kept the
infection alive there. The South Amer
loan coast settlements also got O steady
stream of newcomers and when the new.
railways enabled the people of the
mountainous regions, who had been free
from local infection, to travel freely to
the coast they set up a vigorous recrudes-
cence of the disease, which was espe-
cially noticeable in the case of Guaya-
gull. where the railroad to Quito played
the part of promoter Of yellow fever
in spite Of the best Intentions.
The Impression as to the heavy cost of
sanitation at Panama had much to do
with the slowness with which the exam
pie set there was followed elsewhere. 1t
as thought that only such immense re-
sources as those of the United States
could effect such radical results.
As Col. 0orgas points out in his
book-"Sanitation in Panama" d. Apple
ton q Co.--this Is a mistake. Much of
the cost Of sanitation in Panama was
covered, almost invariably, into engi-
neering accounts For example, an i'm
mense I'LL in Colon was charged to sani-
tation, and although the revenue de-
rived from the land filled in is now pro-
ducins an annual rental of about $780,
900 from ground rent alone, sanitation
has not been credited with this sum, the
capital value of which, at the rate of
interest prevailing there, 10 $4,000, 900.
Much of the fever producing conditions
In South American ports are analogous
to those at Colon and property values
from reclamation, drainage, &c, would
rise to an extent to amortize the cost of
sanitation very quickly. The chief means
OF eliminating the stegomyia mosquito Is
by pipe borne water system. and this
Is much cheaper eventually than the
niakeshifts adopted before proper mu-
nicipal water supply Is installed.
have carefully worked out the de-
tails of the cost Of adequately sanitat-
ing the average business enterprise In
the tropics. with the result that 1t may
be said that per cent. added to the cap
ital estimated as necessary TOR most In
dustrial and commercial enterprises will
cover the cost of sanitation sufficiently to
|
source. For example, IL 1t Is contem-
plated to operate a sugar plantation and
81, 600, 900 is available, then Except In
very unusual cases) the sum of $4,000
should be set aside for the total sani-
tary work In the capitalization, while 8
per cent. set aside from the gross
profits of most enterprises would MAIN
tain a high degree Of sanitary safety in
perpetuity.
Profits Through Sanitation.
It Is to be noted that tropical enter
prises can easily bear this expense be-
cause they are intrinsically usually more
profitable than those elsewhere. The
saving in the fuel bill for keeping en-
ployees and plants warm alone exceeds
the cost OF sanitation The United Fruit
Company Is one concern which has fol-
lowed the example Of the Canal In this
matter to a large degree and 1t is earn
ing a dividend now OF about 40 per cent
In fact with sanitation once thoroughly
provided, almost any enterprise in the
tropics In which the other elements OF
business success are present will fare
| better than competitors further north
| for variety of reasons.
Business men have begun TO act on
this principle in advance OF Latin Amer
lean governments. Inc engagements at
| Chuquicamata secured a sanitarian from
Panama at the outset of their work. So
did the Vanderbilt interests at Portoveo,
Ecuador, in their gold mining there,
while the Messrs- Amsinck are doing the
same thing In their new work at Buena-
ventura. HAD the pleasure of recon-
mending an experienced sanitarlan to
their engineers just before leaving Pan
anna last June.
But the Rockefeller Foundation Is do
| ing par excellence the noblest work Of
its kind in the world in affording direct
cooperation. inspiration, example and
| training in Latin American countries,
where funds are scanty and experienced
agents wanting. 1t seems likely that
1 this work will react upon the govern
ments concerned eventually and, by CIV
ing concrete evidence in specific COM
munities OF the advantages OF santa
ton, secure the needed popular political
support for the inclusion in the budgets
| of the countries in question of appro-
priations for purposes so Indispensable
to the progress Of the nations of tropical
| America.