Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-10-06
THE STUDY OF MALARIA.
The Means of Prevention by N Dis
tingufsIied Scientist of Rome.

The eighth session OF the international
medical congress has just been held in
The paper of greatest sci
entific and popular interest to the Amer
lean people is that read by Professor Con-
rad Tomassi Crudeli, OF the University of
Rome, Italy, and entitled, "The Natural
Production of Malaria and the Means of
Making Malarial Countries Healthier"
Professor Crudeli has devoted years to
the scientific study OF malaria, and is
without doubt the highest living authority
on the subject. His conclusions are there
fore entitled to great weight. He repudi-
ates utterly the paludal theory of malaria
that is, that malaria is exclusively pro-
and marshes. On the contrary, he finds
that it is produced in soils of the most
varied composition, without the presence
of any putrefaction whatever, and is due
to the presence of specific living vege-
table germ. This germ may exist in soils
without poisoning the atmosphere, re-
manning inert for years, even for centu-
ries, retaining its vitality, however, and
becoming active only when certain neces-
sary conditions are present. These con-
ditions, the concurrence of which is indis-
pensable for the production of malaria,
are three in number, viz: A temperature
which does not fall below 67.5 degrees
Fahrenheit, n very moderate degree OF
permanent humidity of the soil, and the
direct action OF the oxygen OF the air upon
the strata of earth containing the mala-
rial ferment.
Such being the factors in the case, what
can be done to remove one or more of
them, and thus render malarious regions
more salubriousP In the first place, ma
ture makes localities healthy during GER
tain seasons by taking away the factor of
heat-there being less malaria in winter
than in summer. But this means is OBJ
viously beyond the reach of man, nor is
ii at all certain that il would be effective
in this country if within his reach, for
every physician has noted the fact that,
while malarial diseases prevail to less
degree in frosty weather, yet old cases
have relapses and new cases occur even
in midwinter.
The second means of prevention con-
sists in depriving the ground of its moist
ure by some system of drainage, by cul-
tivation of plants and trees, which con-
sumes large amount of water in their
| growth, or by the destruction OF dense
forests which prevent the rays OF the sun
reaching and drying the soil. Much hope
was placed in the eucalyptus tree as a
means of extracting moisture from the
ground, but the experience with it, fol
Italy, at least, is not encouraging.
The third method OF publication is tc
prevent the direct action of the oxygen Of
the air upon the infected strata OF soil
This has been successfully accomplished
by this system of OVERLAPPING, which con
sists in covering the infected ground witt
thick layers OF uninfected earth, at the
same time employing thorough system,
of surface and underground drainage
Regions about Rome heretofore malari
GUS have been benefited by macadamiz
ing and turing the ground.
In districts where malaria prevails in
pernicious form it is difficult To carry on
large works OF Improvements, such ny tn
forced cultivation OF the soil, because o
sickness of the laborers. Professor Cru
deli has, therefore, been devoting tn
last few years to search for means TO in
crease the power of resistance OF the hu
man organism to the attacks OF malaria
Acknowledging the great value ofquinin
and arsenic, rs preventive and curative
he has still sought to discover n cheaper
] harmless, yet effective remedy, and thi
he believes he has found in the ordinar
lemon. lie does not claim the discover
as original with himself, or indeed wit
4 any physician, but candidly acknowlet
ges the remedy to be of popular origin
and with true scientific spirit seeks know
edge, not only in the exact researches {
the laboratory, but also in the every-da
experience OF common people.
lie advises that detection of lemo