Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-07-29

Perhaps no single notion has been more
generally entertained, whether by scientific
people or by those who make no pretensions
to SCIENCE than that malarial poison is a re-
suit Of vegetable decomposition, and that
marshy land is fruitful source of this danger.
Such has been the common tradition for gem
eratons, and the observation Of many people
has seemed to warrant the deduction. In
many localities great care is taken each year
to induce a luxurious vegetable growth (such
as Of the sunhower, for instance) between
dwellings and any swampy land, in the belief
that the rapidly growing plant will absorb any
malaria with which the air may be impreg-
mated. There now seems to be excellent au-
thority for the assertion that the commonly
received opinion regarding malaria is entirely
wrong. President Paul A. Chadbourne Of
Williams college, an expert in matters of
chemistry, has been giving this subject special
attention. He says in a recent letter that
some years ago / taught without misgiving
the doctrine that the malarial poison produc-
ing intermittent fever was the result of veRe-
table decomposition, especially the decompo-
sition produced by stirring soils rich in organ
ic materials, SO that these materials could be
acted upon readily by heat and moisture"
Since then he has had occasion to materially
change his views, for as he puts it, 1--WE do
not know whether the miasm is an inorganic
gas, the .vapor of organic compounds, or
cryptogamic organisms nor have we vet
learned what the specific conditions are that
secure the production of the masm, nor the
means of its distribution. We have some
facts and plausible theories on all these points,
but no theory that ] have heard of which ac-
cords with all the facts now known Malaria
abounds in wet and dry places, in valleys and
on mountains. 1t appears in places whore it
has before been unknown, without any change
of condition that can be SEEN" President
Chadbourne proceeds to show that the pear
blight, the potato rot epizooty among horses,
and the Texan fever among domesticated cat
tie, are diseases of whose origin we know
nothing definitely; and he assumes that mall
arial poison is originated and disseminated
quite as mysteriously. He shows conclusive
ly that water is not prerequisite to malaria,
for in the West it abounds where water is too
scarce for comfort-where, il the malaria
comes from the soil at all, il must come from
soil that is high and dry. The same trouble
is also found in the Rocky mountains where
the few streams flowing from melting snow
are as pure as New England trout brooks and
most of the soil is poor in organic matter as
it must be where little besides sage brush can
grow. In conclusion President Chadbourne
says: TT seems to be imaginable that mala-
ria is extending in New England, and appear
ing under such varied conditions as to throw
doubts upon much OF our former theorizing
and to call for careful collection of facts all
over New England where the malaria appears.
We have yet to learn whether it originates in
the places where it appears from some local
condition there, or from some widespread
agency, independent of local conditions or
simply modified by them. It may also be
found that malaria spreads from the place of
its origin by methods that have not yet been
recognized. The spread of other diseases,
already alluded TO, has been by means 80 sub
tie and unexpected that we may reasonably
infer that We may have much more to learn
of the spread of this particular malaria"