WORK AGAINST MOSQUITOES IN PANAMA. 



21 



following table of deaths from yellow fever in New Orleans from 

 1847 to 1905 points out most strikingly the value of this antimosquito 

 work : 



Table II. — Comparutirc tabic of deaths from i/cUnir fever in Ncir Orleans dur- 

 ing varioMs years. 



The eiDidemics of 18-18, 1854, and 1855 are least comparable with 

 that of 1905 because they immediateh^ succeeded severe epidemics to 

 Avhich were due very many immunes. 



The population of New Orleans by the United States Census was 

 130,505 in 1850; 108,675 in 1860; 191,418 in 1870; 216,090 in 1880, 

 and 287,104 in 1900. 



WORK ON THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. 



The United States Government has very properly used the services 

 of Colonel Gorgas, who was in charge of the eminently successful 

 work at Havana, by appointing him chief sanitary officer of the 

 Canal Zone during the digging of the canal. In 1904 active work was 

 begun, and Colonel Gorgas was fortunate in having the services of 

 Mr. Le Prince, who had been chief of his mosquito brigades in Havana, 

 and therefore was perfectly familiar with antimosquito methods. In 

 Panama, as in Havana, the population had depended principally 

 upon rain water for domestic purposes, so that every house had cis- 

 terns, water barrels, and such receptacles for catching and storing 

 rain water. The city was divided up into small districts with an in- 

 spector in charge of each district. This inspector Avas required to 

 cover his territory at least twice a week and to make a report upon 

 each building with regard to its condition as to breeding places of 

 mosquitoes. All the cisterns, water barrels, and other water recepta- 

 cles in Panama w^ere covered as in Havana, and in the water barrels 

 spigots were inserted so that the covers would not have to be taken 

 off. Upon first inspection, in March, 4,000 breeding placas were 

 reported. At the end of October less than 400 containing larvae 

 were recorded. This gives one a fair idea of the consequent rapid 



