The first two and a half years of American control of the Panama Canal were devoted solely to preparation for human inhabitance. Energies were committed to establish suitable houses, hotels, kitchens, and messes. Food supplies were built up and the ability of the existing Panama Railway system was increased. In addition, a large Panama Canal labor force was enrolled and organized under a civil government. With all this activity, the need for improved sanitation soon became apparent. Improving the unsanitary conditions was one of the greatest obstacles in building the Panama Canal. Colonel William C. Gorgas stepped up and took charge of improving these sanitary and working conditions.

With the leadership of Gorgas, many new departments of sanitation were founded. Separate departments each tackled different tasks. Some health departments were in charge of hospitals, others in the supervision of health matters, and still others took charge of sanitation inspections. Commissions were also formed to look after the basic welfare of the laborers.

The sanitation work included clearing land, establishing quarantine facilities, and taking care of sick and injured laborers in hospitals. On top of this, an operation under Gorgas' command aimed to destroy the yellow fever and malaria carrying mosquitoes.

The extensive swamps surrounding the canal in certain areas were a great breeding ground for mosquitoes. In an attempt to eliminate some of the mosquito problems, the surrounding swamps and wetlands were drained and filled. Various methods were used, which include grass and brush cutting, drainage of swampy areas, and the oiling of unfilled pools and streams. This task was so big that the first two years of building the canal were largely dedicated to getting rid of the mosquitoes. In the end, these efforts were a success. By 1906, yellow fever was virtually wiped out in canal areas and the number of deaths caused by the other top disease, malaria, was also reduced significantly.

With all these new health measures, the canal area has become one of the healthiest regions in the world. With the leadership of Gorgas, the department of sanitation and the division of municipal engineering helped to make the canal construction possible.

Additional information

Schlesinger, Arthur M. Building the Panama Canal: Chronicles From National Geographic. Chelsea House Publishers, Philadelphia, 1999.