The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1882-10-06
varnish, and then be rubbed with fine
ly pulverized pumace stone and lin
seed oil until very smooth.
INVISIBLE POISON
How it Works its Way Into the Body and
Howl to Counteract 1t.

One of the great scourgcs of the
present year in all parts Of America
has been malara, This is a trouble
so treacherous in its nature and so
dangerous in its results as to Justly
cause apprehension wherever it has
appeared. But there are SO many
erroneous ideas upon the subject
that few words are in order at a
time when people are subject to
malarial influences ..t-.s-
Malaria, which means simply bad
air, is the common name of a class
of diseases which arise from spores of
decaying vegetable matter, thrown
off from stagnant pools or piles of
vegetation undergoing decomposi-
tion. These spores when inhaled
with the breath or taken into the
system with water soon enter the
blood and terminating there find
foothold, whereby the whole system
is poisoned and the various functions
disordered. When the germ theory
of disease was first advanced it was
supposed that these spores were of
animal nature, and like the bacteria
in diphtheria were propagated in the
blood, but they are now conceived
to be Of vegetable origin, like the
fungi found on decaying.:wood or in
cellars. The source of this state of
the air is generally swamps or stag
nant pools, which, partially dried
by the hot sun, send forth vapors
loaded with this malarial poison.
These vapors descend to the earth in
the night, cooled by the loss of tenn
perature, and breathed by sleepers
are readily inhaled. Hence persons
living near s:agnant pools or marshes
are liable to be afflicted with chills
and fever, and such localities are
never healthy, though they are more
so when the streams flowing into
them are pure, and also when the
water is high. Again the drainage
of houses, slaughter houses, barns,
etc, are fertile source for malaria. |
One will often notice in coming into
the neighborhood of one of these
sluggish streams that pass through |
almost every village most villain
Gus smell caused by the offensive
refuse which communicates its bad
odor to the atmosphere, especially |
on hot days. This absorbed into the
system by the lungs or taken in
water, which also absorbs
it from the air, poisons the blood
and deranges the whole system. This
poison is also developed in force in
wells and springs when they become
low, and the result of drinking these
IS The same as breathing.the poison
ous air. Tn time of drouth the
great quantity Of vegetation that
lries up in the meadows, stubble
fields and pastures, the corn fields
and forest leaves produces the same
On the prairies when large
,racts Of prairie ground are turned
over, the decaying vegetation is
cause of malaria.
The evils which follow malarial
are almost infinite. Dis
case of a malignant and dangerous
nature, accompanied by symptoms
he most distressing are certain to
manifest themselves and life is a bur-
len SO long as this poison remains in
he system. The indications of MAJ
arial poisoning are loss OF appetite.
hortness of breath, pains about the
,eart, wasting of flesh and strength,
dependency, nervousness, chilly SEN
ations, unaccountable lassiness, dull
,ains in various parts OF the body,
dizziness, a coated tongue
md dry mouth, night sweats, muscu-
ar debility, putting under the eyes,
N unusual color, ordor or sediment
bout the fluids passed from the
ystem, etc. Any one of the above
ymptoms may be an indication of
na1arial poison in the body which
ecessitates immediate and careful
ttention.
But if malarial poison could not
ind Judgement in the human body,
would be just as harmless as the
xygen of the air. The great diff
ulty is that, after being absorbed
nto the system, it produces obstruc-
ions in the stomach and lungs, clogs
he circulation of the blood, affects
he kidneys, liver and other organs,
nd brings on disease of a most
dangerous character. There is only
ne known way by which these dis
ases may be avoided or cured after
hey have once made their appear
nee, and that is by keeping the