During the first half of the nineteenth century
much thought was given to building the Panama
Canal. The discovery of gold in California in 1848
brought an increased demand for a transportation
link across Panama. A railroad line was completed
after six years of hard labour in the swamps and
jungles. Over two thousand workmen died from
yellow fever and malaria. In 1881 ,a French organi-
zation tried to build a canal across the Isthmus. For
eleven years,workmen struggledagainst heat and
disease. At least 15,000 died before the French
gave up their attempts to build the canal. For years
the abandoned machinery lay in the jungles. At the
close of the Spanish-American War, the United
States bought a strip of land ten miles wide across
the Isthmus. Immediate attention was given to the
control of diseases. In two years, yellow fever was
completely eliminated. Because of the work of A-
merican medical heroes, it was possible to build
the splendid Panama Canal.
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