The record-union., 1898-07-03

IIldidrlA ana Sucn diseases as typhoid
fever become Of peculiar interest to
people living in cities where epidemics
of typhoid and the general prevalence
of malaria are common.
The latest theory is that of DR.. Rob-
ert Koch, the eminent German bacteri-
ologist. 1t is said-and the New York
papers are full of the story-that he has
discovered, in the wilds of Africa, that
mosquitoes cause malaria by biting
people, and thereby depositing the spe-
cific poison of malaria under their cpl
derrnis
According to this theory, the man
who can catch and kill the annoying
mosquito will at the same time exter-
inmate the disease that causes chills,
sweats and fever.
\ A general survey Of the field in Sac
ramento failed to bring any doctors to
light who are familiar with or who have
much faith in the mosquito theory of
disease. Many interesting facts about
the decadence and prevention of mala-
ria and typhoid fever were elected
from the local doctors, however, and
they are of far more interest than the
theories of a physician wandering in
the wilds Of Africa in search of data
to back up his laboratory theories.
That the reader may fully understand
the claims of the new theorists, the
following brief words of DR.. Egbert
Guernsey of New York are submitted
as basis for what the local doctors
said:
1t is natural for the mosquito to
transmit the poisonous malaria microbe
In its bite, for the mosquito thrives
best in malarial districts Malaria is
due to the decomposition of animal and
vegetable matter, and it is on this very
decomposition that mosquitoes breed best
and grow fat 1t is their food They be-
come saturated with the poison arising
from the decomposed matter. They
absorb 1t, and them in their bite readily
1nstiH the poisonous microbe into their
unfortunate victim. In this way mos
qultoes carry malaria from one district
to another"
In support OF the theories of Koch, it
Is pointed out that he carried malaria
from swampy district of Africa to a
dry and healthful region by turning
loose bottle of hungry mosquitoes
from the u1alarial swamps among the
surprised natives of the region free
from chills and fever the result being
an epidemic of chills and fever.
Discussing the problem, Dr. H L.
Nichols, who has practiced medicine
in this part of the country for
forty years, and who is fully acquaint-
ed with malaria in all it's forms, said
Malaria is vanishing from this coun-
try very fast, simply because the coun-
try is better drained, the people have
better water, and they know how to
prevent the disease. In all these mat
ters the best thing to do is to drink
boiled water, which has also been fill
tered, or TO drink wholesome water that
has not been boiled. The typhoid fe-
yer and m2larial diseases CT the past
as well as those of the present, are
generally caused by bad water In a
malarial country in pioneer times peo-
pie We're obliged to drink malarial wa
ter, impregnated with malarial plasmo-
dunn. 1t is a safe plan for people to
take about two grains of quinine ey cry
other day. and to boil their water and
cook their food we'll In such a way
there is little danger of typhoid fever
or malaria. Koch may be right as to
the origin Of the disease in some cases,
but there is plenty Of malaria where
there are not mosquitoes"
DR.. w. J. Hanna said he had not
had, much experience in the treatment
Of malaria here, and did not believe
there was as much as in years gone.
He thought boiled water was a good
thing as preventive of many such dis
eases, and that the use of quinine would
prove a great preventive.
DR.. F. B. Sutliff afforded the Record
Union" every access TO his library and
gave some good points on the diseases
in question, but dislilked to pose as an
expert. Among other things he said
The books tell US that the malarial
n
evening hence people exposed at such
times are most likely to become infect
ed 1 do not have much faith in the
mosquito theory, but / believe 1T is al
most a certain preventive to boil
water and take little quinine every
day or two during the nlalarial season.
or in malariaa country. Such a mod
crate use of the drug is not harmful,
as ii is a tonic that may be used in
this way without danger. DR.. Patrick
Manson has shown quite fully that
mosquitoes carry certain poisons. but
/ am inclined to believe that a great
deal OF malaria comes from the water.
as we'll as from the pollen of certain
flowers This has often been shown. As
TO the disease here it seems to me there
Is a great deal of exaggeration concern
ing its prevalence. 1t is true there is
some malaria here, and there has been
some typhoid The river always con-
tadns bad elements, such as sewage,
dead carp, salmon and shad. The rem
edy against most of these things is to
boil the water and keep 1T where 1t will
not be infected again. At home both
filter and boil my water. There are
few filters that are germ proof, various
agents to the contrary notwithstanding
1t is good thing to use the filters as
we'll as heat, and the two are fine Pre-
ventives of much sickness.
Dr. G. c. Simmons said that he had
not made a careful study of the ques-
ton, but had noticed In general way
that there was q marked decrease IN
the violence of the disease. This was
seen in less violence OF the fever, less
severity of chills and sweats, as wen
as in some other modified symptoms.
TT is largely matter of conJecture
what has caused the great modincatioi
of the symptoms Of the disease, saao
the doctor, ''but some hold tnal Tx
soil becomes so weakened in It's ma'ali
nj nelson's that the effect Is NOT VeIJ