Sanitarjj Improvements in Panama. 427 



gone to California during the last preceding few months. 

 AVhereas formerly only adventurers, speculators, or persons of 

 means, could turn their eyes on the land of gold, a poor but 

 industrious labouring population now pressed eagerly thither. 

 Of course, however, it was too good to last : — no enterprise 

 could continue upon such ruinous principles. It was the war 

 of large capital against small ; whichever could longest stand 

 the incessant drain, remained in possession of the field. 

 Occasionally, however, a '^compromise" is effected be- 

 tween the two parties, but in that case the public is 

 usually the sufferer, since in order to make up for past 

 extravagance, the two quondam foes combine to keep up ex- 

 orbitant rates. 



The salubrity of Panama, though still unhealthy enough 

 during the wet season (May to September), is undoubtedly 

 better than it ever was in former years. The doses of qui- 

 nine pills with which people used to be presented in society, 

 very much the same way as a pinch of snuff, have become 

 infrequent, neither is it now the custom to drink sherry or 

 brandy and water with quinine in it. Indeed, were foreign 

 settlers to abstain from the practice of frequent meals, which 

 even in more temperate climes cannot be continued in 

 with impunity, the health of the inhabitants would benefit 

 greatly. I repeatedly heard it maintained that the use of ice, 

 which at present can be got in large quantities and at very low 

 rates upon the whole Isthmus, and forms an ingi-edient of every 

 beverage, and many dishes even, has materially improved the 



