Evening star., 1898-07-23
A STUDY DF MALARIA
Points Set Forth in a Recent Address by
Prof Koch.
Most Formfdabfe Enemy and Most
Serious Obstacle to-SettIement and
Development In the Tropics.

The state Department has received from
Consul General Mason at Frankfort copy
of an address recently delivered at Berlin
by Prof. Robert Koch, the eminent bac-
teflologist, embodying the results OF his
study OF maiarial diseases in tropical lat
itudes, which is regarded as having spe-
cial application to the United States armies
in the West Indies and the Philippines.
The consul general furnishes the follow
ing synopsis of DR.. Koch's theories and
conclusions:
Malaria Is the most formidable enemy
which we have to encounter, the most
serious obstacle to the settlement and de-
velopment of our colonial possessions III
the tropics. We shall never eujoy the pos
session of our colonies until we have van
QuiShed this disease. The first step toward
successful resistance is a thorough, accu-
rate knowledge of its origin AMI the meth
DDS of its dissemina ton
Malaria is distributed all over the globe
IN It's mlider forms it is found in this coun-
try IN the form of swamp fever. 1t appears
IN sun more severe type in Mediterranean
countries, but worst of all in the tropics.
It's most violent and malignant form is the
Eiach-Water lever vomito). The exciting
cause or germ of malaria In all it's forms is
unauestlonably parasite in the human
Flood, which was first discovered and dem
onstrated by Italian scientists, and the
known. 1t appears as one of the easily rec
ognlzed rings in. the red corpuscles of the
piooo Wh-ch enlarges splits into fragments,
and within few hours produces more than
twenty young parasites, which are distrib-
uted among the Corpuscles and thus dis
seminate and extend the infection through
out the blood.
Prof. Koch's Demonstration.
Professor Koch has succeeded in proving
ma e.
Velopment, which are characterized by an
internittently rising and subsidng fever,
corresponds exactly with the development
of the parasites; So that by examination
of the blood the progress and stage of the
disease can be definitely acertained. He
has further succeeded in demonstrating the
exact moment for the effective administra-
ton of quinine, which does not kill the mi
Crobe, but definitely checks and limits its
power of reproduction. This discovery was
highly important. for as result of 1t the
physician can, with reasonable certainty,
provide that the disease shall be cured and
not run to a. fatal result. OF course, the
cohvalescence may be long and uncertain,
for relapses which leave the patient weaker
and weaker are liable to occur so long as
there remain parasites in the blood
Against them no sanitarium, no elevated
location, offers any certain remedy; but 1t
is, on the other hand consolation to
know that recovery after case of malaria
may be rapid, and that tn edisease affects
the constitution less seriously than other
fevers of equal temperature and duration.
Not Contagious.
Malaria is not contagious. The means
of its distribution have been sought for in
the air and water, butt Koch believes that
blood-sucking insects are largely response
Bile for its dissemination. Wherever mos
quitoes exist malaria will prevail. Where
there are no mosquit tOes cases of malarial
disease occur only when the infection has
been previously received In malarial To-
c.tlity. The exact relation of mosquitoes to
malaria still lacks however, exact and con-
elusive scientific demonstration. Analogies
are found where blood-5ucklng insects con-
vey disease germs, as, for instance, the
tsetse fly, and especially the Texas fever
among cattle. where, as is well known, the
disease germ is aTied by tick or insect
NO of man is immune from ma
larial disease. Negroes living on the coasts
of tropical countries are practically so, but
negroes of the same race from mountain
Gus districts coming to the coast are sus-
ceptible to the fever. The former have,
according to the opinion of DIR. Koch, ac-
qlired immunity through slight malariaI
attacks during infancy or youth. But, as
there is this naturally produced immunity.
It must be possible to produce an artificial
one.
ION this point DR.. Koch insists that in
the case of malarial disease, the exciting
cause Of which is definitely known, the con-
ditons are much less difficult than in the
case of other diseases, the germs of which
are not known, as, for instance, hydro
phobia and cattle plague CrinderpesO, in
respect to which a certain degree of I'M
munty has nevertheless been attained.
THE first essential step In combating
the disease is for the patient to leave i'm
mediately the malaria-infected district, and
be protected against mosquito bites by pro-
phylactic doses of quinine. Professor Koch
believes through of lar
ial disease In the localities where its most
intense and vrulent forms prevail the way
has been opened to new lines of study and
new limits set to the dangers of the dis