THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. 97 



Every one has probably heard of the " Chagres 

 fever," which is usually spoken of with an emphasis 

 that strikes terror to the timid, especially if they 

 have ever been exposed to the atmosphere of that 

 place. 



Although the name is not, by any means, a 

 classic one, yet it has the advantage of being correct, 

 in a general sense ; for I do not believe that there 

 is another place in the world, where the causes of 

 diseases are developed and fostered to a greater ex- 

 tent than they are in this place of most unenviable 

 notoriety. The consequence is, that a bad and fatal 

 form of fever prevails there at times, which is most 

 emphatically the fever of Chagres ; and the unmea- 

 sured use of intoxicating drinks is one of its prin- 

 cipal causes. 



Exposure to the rains of that country is another 

 very common exciting cause of fever, and it should 

 be very carefully avoided. This has been one of the 

 great causes of fever and dysentery among the la- 

 borers on the Panama Railroad. Often they would 

 scarcely get to their work, when a sudden shower 

 w r ould fall upon them, and when perspiring pro- 

 fusely over the spade or pick. If they abandoned 

 work for the day, but few would have the prudence 

 to change their clothes for dry . ones ; and perhaps 

 resume the same wet garments the following morn- 

 ing. Now, nothing can be more prejudicial to 

 health anywhere, than such habits as these, and 

 when we add to this, the perhaps worse practice of 

 sleeping with the windows and doors of their quar- 



