This is the reply I recieved from the Apache Mailling list from Rob Bloodgood.

When I see this problem, I automatically think, Oh, the Oracle libs aren't being located by the system.
Edit /etc/ld.so.conf and add the value of $ORACLE_home/lib (the directory that has libclntsh.so.8 in it) eg
/usr/local/oracle/8.1.5/lib

Then run /sbin/ldconfig to update Linux's idea of where things are, and stop and start the server.
ALSO, ensure that ORACLE_HOME and preferably ORACLE_SID are explicitly provided to your perl stuff:

in httpd.conf
PerlPassEnv ORACLE_HOME
THIS CAN BITE YOU! If your httpd startup script doesn't have the oracle environment loaded, you may have to fix that as well:
at the top of /etc/rc.d/init.d/httpd
# Source function library.
. /etc/rc.d/init.d/functions <!-- already there -->

# Source Oracle environment <!-- you add these lines -->
ORAENV_ASK=NO
ORACLE_SID=stats
. /usr/bin/oraenv

# See how we were called. <!-- already there -->
case "$1" in


--BigJoe

Learn patience, you must.
Young PerlMonk, craves Not these things.
Use the source Luke.