Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-18

Plsins of Aro1es the terrace lands Of Persia The ne
atmospheric if uences REFER to above .r. not u,fs
cent account for the origin OF malaria, and there
must be additional causes at work. thus far unknown
rs
Here, then we have a complete abandonment
by one Of the most thorough and scientific oh
servers or the theory Of marsh miasma or case
Gus exhaatiOn from decomposition of veee-
table organisms, and an acknowledgment that
as yet we are cropping in the dark in pursuit OF
some occult principle or factor as the true and
real cause of these paroxysmal fevers.
More recently as late as 1872 memoir was
published by klebs and Tomasi Crude entitled
.'Sttsdt sula ndt,s-a della malaria Roma :" con-
tanning an exposition of results obtained BY
carefully conducted experiments upon rabbits
by means of simultaneous injections of material
in the vicinity of Rome, claiming the discovery of
bacillus malaria capable of producing in these
animals form Of fever. accompanied by certain
pathological changes which they declared to be
positive evidence of malarial infection Without
going into the physiological, pathological. and
chemical questions involved in consideration
OF these experiments, and the logical or illogical
deductions arrived at, 1t occurs to US to say
en- pdssant that the accuracy of their conclri-
siOns might very properly be questioned when
the fact is considered that these very animals
upon which they were experimenting were prob
ably the natives of those marshes, and had pos
slbiy subsisted upon these organisms as part
OF their natural food. without detriment; that if
very habitatiOns Of these rabbits. were CAPABLE
OF producing a specific disease when introduced
into their bodies. is it not reasonable to suppose
that they would have been affected as other
annae are known to be when exposed to highly
maaTial regions! We are all aware that both
horses and dogs are subject to such attacks and
exhibit the true intermittent type Of malarial
fever when subjected to those agencies in po-
Sentlal degree, which produce similar fevers in
the human system. The report Of Surgeon
MI Gfarnh rlpr of TTn;fo
army. made. at the request OF the National
Board of HEALTH upon the memoir of Drs Klebs
and Tomasi Crudeli, furnishes a very conclusive
reputation of the bacillus malarial theory adj
vanced by those distinguished observers The
observations made by DR.. Sternburg seem to
have been conducted with great scientific skill,
diligence and impartiality. with the commend
able object of seeking the truth and not to sus-
tain theory. Closing his report with the con-
illusions to which his investigations had led him,
he says:
Among M the orranisns found uron the swamp lands
near New Orleans; and in the cutters within the city
are identical Mit, the bacillus material Of Kebs and
hoas orudeh bnt there is no satisfactory evidence
IN such situations when injected beneath the skin of
t the ornaey ss to fSE With
1t is clear to our mind. in the light of Dr.
Sternburgs experiments. as well as in accord
ance with daily observations. based upon ortho-
dox pathology, that
FEsERs PRODUCED IN THESE ANNALS
were purely septic. and resulted from the in
PRODUCTION into the tissues of foreign matters
capable of exciting Inflammation and suppura-
ton. and not to any specific organism as they
claim The metastatic abcesses found in some
OF these rabbits conclusively establishes this
opinion. With other conclusions touching the
origin of the so-called malaria fever embraced
IN his report we are not prepared to concur
nta1
responding with the views which we are dis
posed TO entertain upon this subject.
THE SECOND QUESTION
presented above for our consideration was. SIN
what manner does this invisible agent impress
itself upon the human organism, effecting pa
biological results and producing paroxysmal
pyresis." Accepting the hypothesis of thermo-
hygrometic pathogenesis based upon the fact
that a long-sustained high solar heat. modified
by rapidly varying conditions Of atmospheric
moisture is always found to exist. we are natu-
rally led to determine in what particular man
ner OF through what particular organs. heat in
a plus or minus degree operates upon our bo-
DIES distinguished Psychologist teaches us
mat las We rise in the scale of animal aud veg
etable existence the phenomenon of life become
more complex and the conditions Of their being
more complicated and restricted. The simpler
the structures the feebIer the vital nervous and
physical forces, and the less complicated the
conditions of existence COd-bIOOded yerte-
brate animals. although more highly organized
than nvertcblate animals, still show remarkable
powers OF enduring extremes OF heat and cold
without deaths. Fish may be frozen and then
thaWed out without producing destruction of
life. The rapidity with which absence of heat
is attended with loss of sensibility and death is
directly proportional to the development and
perfection OF vertebrate animals. All the acts
called vital ana nervous and muscular by many
Psychologists. such as the contraction of the
muscles and the transmission of impressions to
and from the nervous sensitive centers along
the nerves. are due to the chemical changes of
those elements which have been separated from
oxygen and elevated iato state of force.
through the forces of the sun
LObsten. in his elaborate work on the struc-
t'lre, functions aud diseases OF the sympathetic
nerve. says:
1t does not seem Improbable that the eanglia which
tories of that principle which internal or exsrees.t
When s . .re to the ys.ess aid Of the mature 4
, the , onE efineipa to The arteries which
into the crns are sf IN
the eternal coat since it is af that the vessels are
neryes and that from then The forces and
nutrition ANA seereo n IN np e f the nsta of
OF intermittent levers have thought that it might
action tie Abdominal nervous syte so a nl' there
alIears to be indeed sufficient render tlis
ere tea down 10 regular rythlus in consequence Of
uielf DenS ratated IN the system upon which
nature has Impressed law according which they
llust perform their functions periodically"
In view, then, Of these physiological facts adj
vanced By SO learned and profound teacher as
Lobstein. and recognizing the important vital
factor of heat in the performance of those func-
lions. presided over and directed by the system
OF nerves in maintaining a state of healtIl-let
us consider how far it may he possible for this
same potent agent, solar heat under certain
conditions to aberrate the normaity of those
physiological acts and produce disease. With
many Psychologists the belief prevails that
there is special excito-caloric or calorifacient
nerve center which presides over or regulates
animal heat, and that this center can be infiu-
enced by external impressions capable of pro-
ducIng disease. Lobstein relates the case of q
friend Of his whose hair became white in one
night, produced by fright at the burning of his
house; and asks the question if this was not pro-
duced by mental suffering deranging the abdom-
inai nerves. thereby disordering and changing
the force and function of these nerves, and az
fecting the nutrition of the capillaries.
MUCH CONFUSION EVIDENTLY PREVAILS
in regard to the mode by which heat affects the
temperature Of the human body. The generally
accepted opinion, that when the human body is
exposed to the influence Of heat the conduction