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Biographic
Palo Seco.
When the Americans reached Panama the condition of the lepers was
a pitiable one. They were isolated on a stretch of beach between Panama
City and La Boco (now Balboa). Arrnagements had been made to deliver
food to them there, but, in the dry season, they frequently suffered
from an insufficient supply of water and as a result of the hardships of
their life, many cases of leprosy were concealed from the authorities
by the relatives of the sufferers. Dr. Carter (the Director of Hospitals) under whom the charge of
these unfortunates fell, decided both for humanitarian and administrative
purposes to make the conditions of their isolation as pleasant as possi-
ble. After a thorough and, at times hazardous, exploration of the coast
and the neighboring islands, he discovered a beautiful fruit farm, slop-
ing down to a broad beach (all Panamenians are very fond of swimming &
also sea bathing [is] recommended in leprosy). [There was no approach possible from the mainland back of it - only from the sea, which gave it the desired isolation. ] This place--most inappropri-
ately named "Palo Seco" (Dry Stick) was purchased from its owners (two
Italians) and in order to make it as homelike as possible the buildings
were erected after the plan of their own villages--a chapel with a
"plaza" (square) in front of it and the dwelling houses on the other
side of the plaza. Care was taken in thinning out the fruit trees [in order] to
erect the buildings to keep all the finest specimens [ones] , [a specimen of] the fruit from
each tree being picked: labled and sampled before the tree was cut down.
Also, new fruits were introduced from Central and South America and the
southern part of the U. S. until the place became a horticultural curios-
ity as well as a source of pride and gastronomic delight to its inhabitants. The lepers were also allowed either to eat [at] a mess the food prepared
for them or to draw their ration uncooked and do their own housekeeping.
Also, if they wished to do any farming, implements: seeds etc. were
provided and the produce bought at market price for the use of the colony.
Similarly, they were allowed to raise chickens. No Pigs! The line had to
to be drawn somewhere and "pigs is pigs" the world over! |
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over! 2. There were several children on in the settlement and one leper
girl was made "school teacher," her pride in the title and salary
being beyond words. The children, who had been like frightened little
animals on their arrival, became fat and happy and when, on their first
Fourth of July at Palo Seco Dr. Carter gave each of [them a] toy and a box of
candy (and each of the women a parasol!) I think there were no more
contented people youngsters on the Isthmus! There was also a large supply
of fireworks for the whole settlement on that auspicious occasion The Superintendant, who lived at Palo Seco in a pretty cottage
across a small stream a few yards outside the settlement, took a very
real and kindly interest in his charges: the good Père Allot (a saintly
French priest) came over once a week to hold confession and mass for
them: and "Maria" (Miss Maria Arias) came frequently also to hear such
small troubles as they did not care to confide directly to the Superin-
tendant or to Dr. Carter, who also made frequent trips to the island,
always with little remembrances for the c children or any of them who
might especially need sympathy. The result of this change in their condition was that more and
more lepers began to wish to go to Palo Seco. Mysterious little notes
would be found in the morning on Dr. Carter's desk, [ such ] as:"Juan, who has
" la informidad "
( " the sickness " )" (they never mentioned the dread disease by name!) "would
like to go to Palo Seco, if the policia" (police)--whom he had long been
evading! "are not informed." If this [were permitted,] could be done , "Maria" [(Miss Maria Anas)] was to be
notified to that effect and "a way would be found" for him to get to Palo
Seco." "Maria" being duly "informed" [by Dr. Carter] "Juan" would appear some morning,
strolling calmly up the beach [ at Palo Seco] , brought, of course, in xxx [a] sail boat
procured by "Maria" and another number would be added to the colony.
Indeed, pitiful requests from adjacent territory began to come in, people
with "the sickness" who had heard of the place and hoped they were entitled
to go there. One man, who had, apparently been completely cured refused to
leave as he said he had "a better life" there than he could ever hope to
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hope to
3.
have elsewhere and s stayed on as a boatmen, drawing the same salary as
other Canal employees in that position. Of course, the money paid the
lepers was never put in general circulation, simply used at Palo Seco.
Still, it made them feel that they were like other people, not merely
objects of dread, pity or morbid curiosity. No one, by the way, was al-
lowed to go to Palo Seco for this latter reason--it was not included in
the "sight seeing" curriculum of visitors to the Isthmus. Only those
who could benefit the colony or who wished to collect data for [scientific or administra-] similary
[tive]
work were allow o [e] d [to visit] there |
