The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-08-14
FACTS ABOUT MALARIA.


From the London Telegraph.
According to 4 table of admissions
fer malErial fevers furnished by the
London hospital to Sir Joseph Fayrer,
end which extend over period of lie
years-from ITO to 1sS0-whereas in
1871 out of l,7S1 patients admitted into
the hospital 90 were for malarial fever;
in 1880, out of total of 6.3l2 admis-
sions, II were for ISalarious fever, and
in many years the proportion was still
smaller. This is very good example
of the diminution of malarial disease
in the United Kingdom generally since
the time when we lost kings and mobiles
from ague fits. AS a contrast, how
ever, Sir Joseph Fayrer teaches US that
in Ceylon in ten years o. persons
died from ague and remittent fever,
year-viz., 1s50-the deaths from these
causes were 2O9, $40, increasing during
famine year QS77) to 469, 241. The
monthly mortality varied from 1880
in June, 1850, to %, 900 in January. and
this appears to be greater in winter
than in summer, increasing apparently
with the lowering of the temperature
after the extreme heat. Europeans are
thought TO be more liable TO malarial
fever than natives; but this is not alto
gether proved, for Warning shows by a
comparison of the relative prevalence
of fever in the European and ma
tive troops of the Madras army for
ten years-1s29-1s3S-t while the
percentage of admissions from
fever was for Europeans 12.S,
for natives il was 1877, and the mortal
ity for Europeans was 0.12, against o. "a
for natives. Malarious fever prevails
extensively in tropical Africa, but here
natives do not seem to be as liable as
Europeans; in fact, negroes were at one
time held to be exempt, but Surgeon
Parke proved that natives Of central
and western Africa, though they might
be acclimatized at home, il they re-
moved TO another part of the country
lost this immunity and were as liable
to contract malarial fevers as Europe
ans. Therefore, it will be seen that
race does not insure protection.
The close connection of malaria with
soil is shown in various ways. II the
suns rays are prevented from reaching
the soil by the interposition of paving,
as has been done in many parts of the
city of Rome. malaria ceases, and if
marsh is flooded from the sea and thus
layer of salt covers the soil, malari-
Gus influences disappear. On the other
hand, it is promoted by the rapid dry
ing up of marshes, beds Of rivers and
streams, and especially by the breaking
up of such soil. when fresh surfaces are
exposed to the suns influence. Ac-
cording to Parke, the special soils
which appear to promote malaria are
the following: % alluvial soils, old
estuaries and deltas; (2l sands, If there
be impermeable clay or marshy subsoil,
and old watercourses; CO. the lower
parts of chalk, If there be a subsoil OF
clay or gault; ca weathered granite
trap rocks, if vegetable matter has be-
come intermixed; o. rich vegetable soils
at the foot of hills. Sir Joseph
Fayrer holds that subsoil water or
damp is the essential condition of ma
laria, and especially II the subsoil be
with certain amount OF
stagnant moisture. and this is probably
present in many of those localities in
which the appearance of malaria is so
OF explanation. Malaria ap-
pears to be at its worst in the drying
up season after rains, but during the
rains it Is less severe. While turning
up new soil generally increases the
danger Of malaria draining and crop
ping the same soil afterward dimin-
ishes it. IN the south Of Europe deltas
of rivers and low-lying districts with a
certain amount OF marsh are the COM
mon foci Of malaria. Altitude eIer-
rises some protecting influence, and IN
tOuth Italy, in the T1alarious districts, (
the villages are built on the hills for
this reason; but il has been shown that
wind may carry the malarial poison up
10 the sides of mountains and, indeed. .
over their tops. Surgeon Parke men 4
toned having met with II in equatorial .
Africa on a dry plain I0.o00 feet in .
height, 50 that elevation must not be I
on as giving complete protee- 4
ion There seemed TO be some relation 4
20 rainfall, as in tropical countries it
appears 70 prevail in districts with
arge rainfall, as in the Indian Terai, 4
possibly on account Of the constant I
presence OF subs0il water
The cause Of malaria is Tow held hy
authorities % be a pr0to-
,oOn or vegetable rnicrO-organisEa in
the blood Of man and some Of
he lower animals II vs. discovered
y Lave-an IN issO IN human blood a.