The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-06
MOSQUITOES AND MALARIA.
A Theory MS To the Pests and the
Dissemination OF the COlMIsl Int.

Theory MS to the Pests nmu the
Dissemination Of the Complaint.
New York Evening Sun.
Some curious views have been put for
ward recently as to the part played By
mosquitoes in the propagation Of infec-
tious disease. In this work rr. Patrick
Manson of England and Or. AMIGO Big
mani of Italy stand first. 1t has long been
known that an exceedingly minute or
ganism. comparable in size to tho larger
microbes as mouse to man, and known
as the malarial plaBmodlum. Is associated
with all forms OF malaria and may there
fore be regarded ms the disease producing
microbe This tiny parasite apparently
grows in stupendous hordes in swamps and
marshy places, but seems to have littlel
desire, as so many other disease germs
have. 10 travel. There seems good reason
to believe that when the wind blows they
hide themselves under the trees or in thei
grass Further. in still air. they never SEEM
TO rise more than few feet above thoi
ground. According TO the latest theory,
residence by a marsh is not in itself dan.
gerous to health. How then. does man be-{A
come infected by doing Just this thinG8t
Through the mosquito, The procass III
stated to be as (, lows. The mosquito. a.
or In damp places. From the eggs ars]
patched larvae, which, very voracious del
YOUR everything within reach. among othord
things the bodies of their dead parents and
the envelops from which they themselves
have emerged. They then pass into thc]
state OF nymphae. from which come younej
mosquitoes. During this long period OF lIfs4
In damp soil or water 1t Is believed thatj
they load themselves with the malaria1j
microbes. which probably inhabit the mos /
quito as parasites, the mosquito being lm-J
mune to the microbe. just as man ID tnI
many bacteria which are deadly 10 othos5
animals. In some way. then, the malarlall
microbes escape into the human systcm5
wien the mosquito attacks man.
In support of this theory II is stated that}
the natives of the Pontine marshes have
learned to sleep at night during the fever
season on platforms eight or ten feet high
and. despite tho heat, tightly protected
from the maraudlng mosquito. Once insids&
the human organism the malarial germX
promptly takes up it's abode In the req
corpuscles OF the blood and there beginlH
to multiply and manufacture the virulenl
poison which produces the disease. II
seems. however. as II the microbe can moi
escape from the body by any ordinary2
process, nor attain the full cycle Of It'll
development therein. Hence II Is that MAJ
'aria Is not contagious, as most germ dte.4
easeb are nut now, tnen. does the mlcr0n1X
escape from Its prison?
The reply again IL, by the nlosquit1X
When the latter has made a successful
foray into the body OF a malarial virttml
she tfor the males are not given to bloot*
sucking) files away TO neifhbortrs pooI8
deposits her eggs and expires beside ti.emN
Being liberated by their short lived host
the malarial plasinodium may coInplete II
growth. reproduce, and It's Offspring he the1
rpady fha nj tnfaotl0sI1
pleasures as the parent enjoyed.
Mahson has made some studies Ia ~
life OF the plasmodium within the huu0I
body. When disease producing GCfins Gq
| access to the human blood thsy are tIhn1
diately offered battle by the white corpun|
eles. with the result that u the aitaekis(
hort 10 not too powerful, tie levourtug 81
engulf the microbes and chew them up. ~
all intents and purposes there u Just ~
same antipathy as between q cat sn4
mouse. TO escape these monsrers g.
malurial microbes take refuge within Ct
red corpuscles, whittier they are B11l
ally pursued by the devouring cells.
have SEA n" says Manson. "a phag0tyte (l
vOuring CELL move M to one Of Tho n
cnrpuscles where pltsnoilum lay egto4
ded. touch 1t with It's pseudopta q hn4
an elephants trunk first at Que rujrf IN
at another. move round u. feeltno ~
were u all were right within. sutn&x4
apparently. that things wcrc 'uot
| they should BIZ. But the corpunculak
seemed 10 deceive the phAsccyte. ~
a time the vigliant vat shD,Hn wenl
the masked parasite. apparently
Should. however. the mi;robe epqQ
direction Of becoming fagsIl4(4
10 attain which state II usuHk
leave the sbe!.srlns req soslo
s e Sc ~ !'seIs e n e - A.