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

AZURE is an essential element, or pre-
| requisite, of the so-called mala,ial fevers, and
many regard it as the only cause of such
fevers, maintaining that the fever is simply the
! result of exhaustion and paress Of the gangli-
onic nerve centers accompanied by profound
disturbance of their influence over the crcula-
ton. Reber, who has advanced this theory
attempts by some plausible and ingenious rea-
s0ntng to sustain his views upon pathological
and physiological grounds We have already
declared our dissent with the theory that hyper
therma per Sc is the sole pathogenc agent in the
| production of these fevers. and expressed our
belief that thetrue cause of the so-called paludal
I fevers may be found in the varying conditions
OF atmospheric heat and moisture. In other
words. the hypothesis which We propose is that
no such agent as marsh malaria. as at present
understood exists, and that those phenomena
affecting human health. heretofore attributed TO
| this germinal or gaseous force cmanating from
certain marshy localities, are simply the results
| OF prolonged nsolation-pfimarily VARYING in
individuals according to constitutional differ
ences; secondariiy. the sudden modification of
this insulation by atmospheric humidity affecting
| bodily sensation, but not always thermometr-
caliy apprecable. and operating directly upon
the impressionable sympathetic nerve centers.
ultimately accomplishing through an alteration
or loss of functional energy in these certain
morphot!c and chemical changes in the blood
ana its products. as essential conditions to the
development OF paroXysmal feyers DR.. Cop
land, combating the doctrine that the causes of
fever first affect the cerebr0-spina nervous sys-
tenn, says:
The early LESSONS whether of function or organiza-
uoii, char3cteriZing the first well the advanced
period OF fever cannot be accounted for by assign
OF the disease as it does not cS1itro snnsl heat
@or sas states d enofs % and
AS 1T does not supply nor materially influence
those early changes Of function which they present nor
to those LESSONS of structure which they ctten subse
agents Of fsye: act primarily and chiefly upon the
gIc or gang ionic nervous system The intimate
! n rlr ff2rin
respiration secretion. and assimilation. show that
affect all the organs and parts with which it is reated
| Tables Illustrating the effects of malaria upon
the specific gravity of the blood and of serum.
prepared by Becquerel and Rodier, and by
Joseph Jones and others. the healthy standard
of blood being from 1865. to 1868 O. and that of
serum from 1G27O to 1880. show in malarial
feVers of several weeks duration decline to
1854. to 1896 in blood, and l01S. 1921, 1929 in
| serum. The same series of tabulated facts by
these observers, demonstrate a dimlnution Of
both red cOrnuscles and fbrin. as well as the
formation of heart clots in patients who were
| the subjects Of intermittent aud remittent
fevers. Referring to those tables, Professor
Jones says:
That go far as these observations extend the colored
corpnsces are more uniformly and rapidly destroyed in
disease" 'A'' Il" AA' ''i'ei e"'7
The fbrin is not only diminished in malarial
fevers, but it is altered in its properties and in
| its relations to the other elements of the blood
TIC DlOGu Vessels Ill excessive neat,
T.! was capable of producing these paroXysnlal
fevers. as Reber would have us believe. we
| should lind them prevailing as pantlenlic in
both temperate and torrid zones. withoAe re-
gard to special localities or the Typographical
/ features of the country. which we know with
very rare exception. is not the case. On the
contrary, the presence or proximity Of
| MARsHY OR DAMP AREAS
have been found almost invariably to exist
| 1t would, therefore. seem impossible in con-
sidering the essential nature of malaria to sepa-
rate it from certain physical teliuric conditions
with which it is obviously associated as cause
and effect. and correlated by the more potential
factor. solar heat in the production Of the So
| called maarial fevers. Resting upon the DOS
tulate just presented shall proceed to a con-
slderatlon of such additional facts and cbserva-
lions as in our Judgment go far to support it,
The experiment of Shubler. (who has been re-
cognized as the highest authority by Schmidt
and other distinguished meteorologists of
Europe), perhaps the most elaborate scientific
and accurate ever made in the same direction
to determine the relative amount Of evaporation
from different sections of the globe. embracing
bodies Oh water. damp and arid surfaces
of land, show that the evaporation from
marshes not covered by water, and from damp
undraned areas of earth. erceeds by E,,yefold
that from the surfaces of running or standing
bodies OF water Level plateaus of grass kept
wet, evapOrated more than three times as much
moisture from the same area of surface as
water 1t thus follows that the supply of
humidity to the atmosphere by these damp or
wet surfaces of earth. exceeds that from any
other source Of equal extent and exercises a
more potential agency in determining that con-
ditlon OF atmoSDheric temperature which indi-
rectly influences our nervous systems, giving
rise to sensations OF heat or cold. 1t is thus
OBVIOUS That those who inhabit such localities.
or who are exposed for any length of time to
| the varying influences of such temperature.
when subjected durngthe day to high solar heat
and followed by rapid refrigeration at night,
become more liable to attacks OF fever: and that
such fevers arise solely from the morbid npres-
s!ons made upon the organic nerve centers and
the circulation. by the combined effects of inso-
lation and refrigeration and not b. any specific
agent whatever. In support Of this hypct aesis.
we might cite numerous Instances recorded by
Hcnmen, Ferguson, and many other surgeons
of the British army during their campaigns in
India, who mention that the soldiers suffered
from attacks OF intermittent fever in regions
remote from marshy districts and entirely free
so far as they could determine. from any of the
recognized sources of malaria. These men, it
appears. were exposed to great heat during the
day. but encountered a fall Of temperature at
night which required them to use blankets.
During the months OF July and August of the
present, year, by the direction of the United
States government, a survey was made of the
Roanoke river which runs through the south
ern border OF the state Of Virginia. The party
consisted OF thirty-four men. They left Dan
Vilie. a SHdlI tOWH near the mead OF navigation,
on the 9Th of July, and proceeded with their
work down the river in the direction of the
| ocean. 1t is proper to state in advance that for
| the most part the land bordering this stream is
i'll state of cultivation and that there are no
marshy districts to be found on either side in
many places the banks are abrupt and wooded
The areas of low, fiat, land adjacent to the river
increase as you descend towards the point at
which 1T enters the state of North Carolina. and
are designated by the inhabitants as bottom.
or lOwlands" For the first three weeks after
leaving Danville, but one case Of fever occurred
The average range of thermometer F. being, at
an. $50; IL m. 114o: Z. pm, $50; 10 pm.
$50. About the end of the fourth week, having
reached that portion of the river bordered by
greater extent Of bottom lands. but entirely
| free from Marshes the decided influence of the
damp meadows upon the temperature at night.
was shown by the following average of Their
mometer: am. $40; IL m, 114o; z pm, $50;
10 pm. 82o ContemporaneOus with this yaria-
ton of 32o F. between midday and 10 o'clock at
night several cases of intermittent fever APP
peared, Notwithstanding the men were required
! to be under cover on board of the vessel at p.
M. and not allowed to go ashore until after
sunrise A Snddap fall Of oY,n