Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-04
MAI. GEN. G0RGAs,
HERO OF PANAMA,
DIES In LONDON
CONTINUED from First Page.)

vigorous health. The follwing day he
left with Gen. Noble and Mrs. Cor
gas. for Brussels. where he was dec
GRATED by King Albert. From Brus-
sells he proceeded to Coblenz and re-
turned to London on May %.
On the morning of May 80 he suf-
fered a stroke of apoplexy. and was
removed to Queen Alexandra Hos
pital. where his death occurred For
a time there was hope of his recov-
cry. but kidney complications de-
veloped.
The body will be removed to the
United States on board an American
transport The time of sailing. how
ever. has not yet been announced.
Native Of Alabama.
Gen. Gorgas was born in Mobile,
Ala, October 8, 1854, the son Of con-
federate general. He was graduated
from the University of the South in
1875. He was appointed a surgeon in
the United States Army in 1880.
Gen. William c. Gorgas was consid-
cred one of the worlds foremost au-
thorities on military medicine and
surgery. He fought and defeated the
malarial mosquito in Panama, and thus
made possible the building of that
great waterway. He dislodged yellow
fever from its century-oId stronghold
in Havana. and under the direction of
the United States government and the
Rockefeller Foundation supervised cam
paigns against that, dread disease in
Central America, Peru and Ecuador.
At the invitation Of the British gov
eminent he went to South Africa in
1913 to establish sanitary conditions in
the Rand. as a result of which he re-
ceived high honorS from the medical
profession in London, and Oxford Uni
versity conferred a degree upon him.
In the last ten years his services
were sought to give battle to plaques
in many parts of the world. When
the typhus epidemic began in Serbia
in the war an effort was made to have
him undertake the campaign against
it, but at that time he was needed to
direct the medical and surgical work
for the American Army in France.
Made the Isthmus HabitabIe.
In the days of the old French COM
pany which attempted to build the
Panama canal. tropical diseases an
nually claimed one-fourth Of all its
workers. The French were powerless
before this pestilence-
When Gen. Gorgas became general
sanitary officer of the canal commits
sion. the annual death toll had been
reduced, but it was still difficult to
obtain the vast army Of workmen
necessary and to care for those dis
abled by malaria, yellow fever and
dysentery.
In nine years, by a systematic cam
paign for the destruction of the
mosquito, Cen Gorgas virtually drove
When he gave up the work to accept
the post of surgeon general in the
Army in 1914. deaths among the canal
workers had been reduced to five per
thousand annually. Congress, II,
recognition Of his achievement, made
him major general and the world
hailed him, as one OF the great men
Of medical science.
In recognition of his services he was
made member Of the isthmian COM
mission and served as such until he
was made surgeon, general
yellow Fever Driven From Havana.
His work in combating yellow fever
in Havana began when he went to
Cuba with the rank Of major in the
Spanish war;. When the war ended
he remained as sanitary officer OF the
island. Havana had been. for more
than a century the focus of yellow
fever infection for all of the northern
hemisphere. When he left Cuba in
1902 the island had been cleaned up
and Havana, where previously from
200 to 1000 had annually succumbed
to yellow fever, since has been vir-
tually free from the disease.
Reconstructioh, Of CrippIes,
Soon after the United States entered
the world war Gen. Gorgas announced
the Organization Of the extensive sys-
tenn devised for the ''reconstructions
for soldiers crippled in the war, which
included the establishment of ortho-
pedic hospitals behind the firing lines
in France, reconstruction hospitals
in the great centers of America and
the retraining of crippled men and
preparation for resumfng their voca-
tions or learning new ones.
Gen. Gorgas reached the age limit
while still on duty in France, in 1918.
When the war was over he was re-
tired from active service in the Army.
Subsequently. in 1919. he was head
of the yellow fever commission, or
ganized by the Rockefeller Founda-
ton, and in that capacity made an
extensive tour Of Central and South
America TO ulIcCI Tie WOIh Ol eTdul-
eating yellow fever from some OF its
breeding centers. notably in Peru and
Ecuador.
King George of England conferred
upon him in June, 1920, the decora-
ton Of knight commander of the Or
der OF Saint Michael and Saint George.
He was decorated by the French gov
eminent and made commander Of the
Legion OF Honor.
Long Stationed In This City.
During most of the long period Gen.
Gorgas was stationed in this city he
and Mrs. Gorgas occupied apartments
in the Highlands on Connecticut ave.
nue.. Not very long ago he bought
premises at 1872 California avenue,
now occupied by Col. w. D. Wright
son, a member of the Army Sanitary
Corps during the world war. and Mrs.
Wrightson. who is the only daughter
Of Gen. and Mrs. Gorgas.
Gen. Gorgas was q member. active
or honorary. Of practically all the
principal scientific societies in this
and other countries. He also was a
member OF the Army and Navy Club
of hfc c;t