The Ministry of Health (Minsa) reports 7 new infections of monkeypox have been detected and the accumulated figure since the first case was confirmed in July 2022 is now 167.
Just when it seemed the talks between the Panamanian Government and the copper mining company were getting somewhere, we hear the talks have been suspended.
Had a day out today at the Summit Gardens, a lovely place along the Canal, full of flora and fauna, and peaceful (even with the children still on their school holidays for a few days). It used to be the site of the Canal Zone Experimental Gardens during the US occupation, and was used to try out and develop new plants that could be used in the Zone. The day before I had read an interesting story that, in 1931, when cannabis use in the US Army was still not officially banned, the Gardens were used to grow some of the narcotic to use in an official test. 34 soldiers (presumably volunteers) were given the drug, and then had it withdrawn – to see what the results of either were. They were retained in hospital for the duration. The eventual report in 1932 included the recommendations that –
· the then present military regulations prohibiting the introduction, sale, possession, or use of marijuana on military reservations should continue in force, as they were believed to restrict the use of marijuana among soldiers; and
· with the evidence obtained and considered by the committee no recommendations for further legislative action to prevent the sale or use of marijuana in the Canal Zone, Panama, are deemed advisable under existing conditions.
At the time, small quantities of the narcotic was being grown in the Canal Zone, and consumed as an infusion or smoked. This was how the local garrison were getting their supplies.
1 MARCH 2023
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