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SANITATION-CANAL ZONE.
MOSQUITO, WORK, MALARIA, AND CONDITIONS PERTAINING THERETO.
Continuous attention has been given to the destroying of mosquito-breeding places near settlements, and the vicinity of all 'houses near settlements is inspected at regular intervals for water containers. Very few deposits of water exist at the present time
-ear the houses, and as might be expected stegomyia are not numerous.
Drain tile has been laid at Ancon, Corozal, Culebra, and Empire. The subdrainage work at Pedro Miguel is completed. The clearing of vegetation and ditching about the settlements and the n:ew camps that are being opened up is progressing apdly.
The District Physicians are making reports eac week showing what part of each district the malarial patients come from, so that the Department can record the exact increase or decrease -of malarial f ever in any particular locality, and can often trace the maalaria to its directoource.
During the month the laborers' barracks in different parts of t~he Zone have been examined for adult mosquitoes, but very few stegomyia were found. The buildings occupied by colored employees are in general divided into two classes, consisting of barr ck buildings for laborers equipped with standee bunks for bachelors, and other houses for colored employees having families. At some of the camps all of the barrack buildings occupied by colored laborers are screened. Of course as screening bachelors' barracks protects more persons than by screening a building used as married quarters, it is essential that bachelors' quarters be screened first, in order that the work accomplished may do a maximum of good at once andl tend to keep the largest possible number of employees protected from malarial inf ect ion.
Unfortunately for the c olored employees, as well as for others, the metallic' screening, on the buildings occupied by them is roughly treated and abused by them, and has to be protected and .watched. This Department makes all necessary minor repairs and keeps the buildings as effectively screened as conditions allow at the present time. All new buildings being erected are now effectively screened before occupancy, and many of the old buildinags are being repaired and screened. IThe American housewife on the Isthmus is as careful to keep the screened doors closed and to keep mosquitoes and flies out of her house as th~e colored employees are careless. The latter try to prop the screen doors open and, keep them open; break the screenrig, and create condition favorable to the entry of mosquitoes into their houses. Especial attention is invited to the results in the two cases mentioned. The childre-n of the wives of the American