Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-12-27
What Is the Effect of Malaria on the
Body

malaria, IN the hEPORTER IL was
maintained that malaria was
caused by minute vegetable germ
grown and developed in a particu-
lar breeding place with a
particularly dry temperature; that
it is especially an autumnal fever
occurring generally at the climax
of summer vegetation when the
consequent decomposition of vast
vegetable products takes place,
This is at the time when the
energy of the soil has been spent
on...the larger growths and low
forms of vegetation then assume
sway. It was maintained, backed
by 5000 historical years Of
observation, that the malarial
germ entered the human system
almost entirely by breathing it
in the atmosphere.
The next question arises for
consideration What is the effect
of malaria on the body?" This
may be bluntly and dogmatically
answered IN a kind Of categori-
cal method by saying that its first
effect is on the nervous system.
Its second effect is on blood.
destroying its red corpuscles, and
the third effect is the violent
congestion of organs as the spleen
liver, intestines and coverings of
the brain and spinal cord. Its
fourth effect is pigmenting or
coloring of various tissues.
Among the first considerations
after malaria enters the system is
the idea of what becomes of the
germs. 1t may be stated, fairly
positively that the germ reproduce
themselves in the body. Based
on clinical observations one
would say, the germs reproduce
themselves to an unlimited extent
in the body. The germs increase
enormously and emanate from the
patient in the sweat stools, urines,
and the breath. This makes
malaria, as matter of fact, porta-
bic and contagious. Though
every man is living under the
same conditions as that from
which the patient acquired it, that
is the malarial atmosphere, yet a
close contact of healthy with the
sick enhances the chances of
acquiring it. Malaria of severe
forms will attack a whole family
after one has been taken sick with
just as much certainty as scarlet
fever. The ague or intermittant
form is lightly if any contagious.
This contagion means taking
enough germs into the system to
become sick. The idea of repro
duction and consequent accumula-
ton of germs in the body
prohibits the crowding of the sick
in single rooms. The idea of
reproduction is in accordance with
all other germ diseases and
accounts for patients suddenly
becoming sick with malaria
months after infection. Hard frosts
kill the external growing malarial
germ but not the germ already in
the body which is capable Of
unlimited reproduction. Another
general consideration of very
impressive nature is the periodicty
of MOST malarial diseases. The
effect of the germ is the significant
chill, fever and sweat. No other
known agent is capable Of
producing such distinct periodical
results. Most men cosider it
shock on the nervous system but
its explanation remains as yet
unsatisfactory. One theory may
be cited. The germs get into the
blood and are carried to the
capillaries filling them completely
SO that all the blood tends toward
the internal organs and violently
congests them. The germs are
supposed to eat up or consume all
the red blood corpuscles in the
oapillaries and then die. The
germs reproduce a new crop in so
many hours and a chill is again
repeated. The chill in this theory
is supposed to result from the
sudden leaving of the blood from
the superficial to the deep organs.
The effect on the nervous system
includes the chill, fever and
sweating.
1t is an impressive scene to see
person seized with a chill, the
back and head aches, the blood
recedes from the surface, the skin
becomes blue and the whole body
shakes and trembles- with short
periodic waves from few minutes
to fifteen hours. Then follows a
return of blood to the surface.
The temperature rises high, the
face becomes even livid red, the
eyes are sparkling bright, the
patient is easy though yet losses.
This distinct hot stage lasts from
a few minutes to few hours.
The sweating stage follows,
profuse perspiration covers the
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