The sun., 1919-10-13


by AVIS N. ROBINSON.
GUAYAoUII, Ecuador, Sept. 2B.-
American organization genius and thor
oughness aided by hearty cooperation
of Ecuadoran citizens have broken
through the lines of yellow fever in
Guayaquil, and to-day this city, for
ages known as the pest hole of the
west coast. Is one Of the cleanest cities
In South America. and free from the
yellow fever peril.
There has not been a case of yellow
fever In GuayaQuil since last March.
In less than one year American SAM
tary methods have cleaned up q city OF
more than 100000 population--a city
where yellow fever has claimed thou
sands Of victims since It first appeared
away back In 1S42.
GuayaQuil to-day Is n city where the
principal streets are paved with asphalt,
where modern water and sewer sys-
tenn Is being installed. and where the
American motto OF swat the fly" Is 'ex-
tended to include every pest of the air
That Is capable Of carrying germs. life
Is safe, and before long the city will
be one of the garden spots Of the world,
something which the wonderful tropi-
cal climate and situation entitle It TO be.
| From a business standpoint this
means much to the United States as
well as to all Ecuador. Heretofore
travelling statesmen avoided the city.
All goods were sold by correspondence.
Ships oftentimes were stranded In the
harbor because of the deaths among
the crews and the inability OF the own
ers to get new men. Foreigners died
by the hundred. In 1918, with yellow
fever raging, and the death rate up to
an alarming point. the Americans were
invited to come in. And then the change
began.
| Credit to Gen. Gorgas.
Credit for the wonderful change in
| Guayaquil is given to Gen. w. c. Cor
gas, recently retired as surgeon general
of the United States Army. and who
cleaned up Panama, making the canal
possible.
In charge of the work in GuayaQuil
Is DR.. NJ. +. Connor, who was associated
with Gen. Gcrgas for ten years in
| Panama, and who Is declared to have
been the first man to organize all
factions in a Latln-American country
into one solid body to combat the deadly
menace of fever. DR.. Conner still re-
mains in GuayaQuil. where. aside from
doing a wonderful work for humanity
he has. through close cooperation with
Frederic w. Cooling, United States Con
sui General here. aided in promoting
general good feeling among the Ecua
dorans for the United States, and placing
the United States as the foremost for
eign nation in the affections of tn,
Ecuadorans.
The story of the cleaning up of tn,
city makes interesting reading. botl
from sanitary and business standpoint
Ecuador, In common with many Latin
American countries, feared an invasion
of the country by the AGGRESSIVE
citizens of the big republic to the north
Because of the fact that people from
the United States usually fell easy vic
tins to yellow fever. the natives actual.
at times looked upon the fever as thei
protection from invasion.
But above all else the Latin-Americal
has a deep love for his family and hi
children. 1t was upon this point tina
tDr. Connor made his first move, ii
showed the Guayaquil men that tn
yellow fever was the worst menace o.
earth to their children, and that tn
child mortality was cutting their fam
lilies in half. This opened a channel 70
the organization which was to follow.
Exterminated the Deadly MOsquit,
Piece by piece the structure o
hygiene and sanitation was built
! nd haf