THE CLEANING OF PANAMA

Bruce Herald, Volume XXXXI, Issue 4, 17 January 1905, Page 7

THE CLEANING OF PANAMA

Sanitary Corps Will Precede Diggers to Make the Isthmus a Habitable Place. Almost the first troops to •be dispatched to the isthmus will be one of the largest medical corps -fully equipped which ever left any country in time of peace to minister to the wants of living men. In other words, profiting by the experience of France on • the isthmus. and by its own experience in tropical climes, the United States proposes to establish sanitary regulations in Panama, suchas it has already put into operation in Cuba and the Philippines, for the safety of its soldiers, of the laborers to be employed in building th^canal, and of the people of Panama, says the Chicago Daily News. - The equipment, of this expedition will . include all supplies known tb: be of value ; to the medical prof eission in tropical regions. The supply, ships will carry hospital tents," immense quantities of medical stores, and last; but not least-, large supplies of mineral waters, which the soldiery will be compelled to.use preparatory to establishing condensing and distilling plants on the isthmus for f ur-nishing-a:hbme supply of pure water. Not only does the- government medical department feel assured that it can counteract much of the prevalent disease upon the isthmus by the introduction of sanitary methods among the people, but it is intended also to make " merry war upon the deadly mosquito, which scientists have come to believe' transports mors disease, or as much, at 'least, as any other source. Nets will be provided for protection, and in addition kerosene cil in large quantities will be. poured on. the stagnant lakes and ponds, especially near the inhabited places, to .effectually put an end to their existence. In commenting upon the improved methods of the army for practical medicinal purposes the other day an army officer said:: "Ten years ago you could no more make a solder believe that boiled or distilled water was necessary, for his good health .than ycu could .make' him believe that an army mule could; 1 fiyi. Nowadays when a.n order is; .given tb drink nothing but pure water 'a 'soldier will hustle around and inconvenience himself a bit to get it. Only in case of extreme thirst will he take a drink from a running stream. "It will be easy,- comparatively speaking, to enforce the proposed discipline in sanita^ regulations on the isthmus. The United;. Statessdoes not propose tp build the isthmian- canal upon the bones of her soldiers, nor upon thos© of the labcr- . ers employed in "its construction-, nor upon, those of the people of Panama, if it can help it. If science can, do . anything to prevent it fewe-r lives will bo sacrificed in '"this ;-gr eat work than upon ; any similar piece of work undertaker. by any nation in the history of the world."