Endemic Yellow Fever in Panama and Neighboring Areas

Abstract

My service on the Isthmus of Panama began December 9, 1909, as pathologist in the Board of Health Laboratory at Ancon, C. Z. So much publicity had been given this region for many years that it seemed likely that yellow fever and plague would crowd out most of the other causes of death. Imagine my surprise to find that malaria, dysentery, tuberculosis and pneumonia were the high ranking causes of death. No cases of yellow fever developed in the Canal Zone or in the terminal cities during my service from 1909 to 1922. However, rare cases arrived at the quarantine stations and sometimes these were transferred to Ancon Hospital (now Gorgas Hospital) for better hospital care and observation. Most of those cases came from the west coast of South America. It is only in fairly recent years that laboratory methods have been developed that help in establishing a diagnosis of yellow fever.