The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-09-13

of disease through insects led him to the suppositlon that the same might be true of malaria, "a disease" he says, "of which we must be master. in order to profit by Africa" The forms preva- lent In the tropics are of four kinds, two of them very rare. The other two are the ordinary intermittent fever ten per cent. of the casesl and true tropical malaria, ninety per cent.) In the latter case, which has been studied for a long time, there is direct relation between the curve of the temperature and the development of the parasite. This is of great importance for deter mining at what moment to make use of quinine which retards the parasites development, but does not destroy it. A doctor is now able by examining the blood with the microscope to determine the exact moment at which quinine should be administered. Dr. Koch used this method, and sums up his results as follows: Tropical malaria is very cas- fly recognized, and can be cured with certainty" As to returns of the dis ease, he says that sanitary stations cannot prevent them, as climatic condi- tions do not affect returns of the sick ness when once contracte d.
 As to preventive measures, Dr. Koch maintains, the report says, that mala- ria is not infectious; that 1t has nothing to do with water; that it is not con- veyed in the air or in food. On the other hand, it looks more and more probable that it is conveyed by mosquitoes The period of incubation is about ten or fourteen deys. The infection occurs in certain districts-that is, near the coast and in a zone round Kilima Marc. At attitudes of four thousand feet there Is no infection. The mosquito net is one of the most important preventive meas ures at present, as was proved in the case of twelve trappists who were sent to wasaram, of whom seven who did not use nets suffered from malaria in it's se- verest form, while the other five, who did use them remained entirely free from it. No race of men enjoy an orig inal Immunity from malaria-negroes, Hindus and Chinese suffer from it as much as Europeans. If then, negroes | of the coast district appear to enjoy im- munity either because they have inher- ited it from their parents or have ac- quired it in early youth, and if immi- grants Hindus and Chinese acquire such immunity after time, one may | assume that natural immunity exists. If this is the case 1t is to be hoped that science will succeed in producing artiti- l cial immunity against malaria.
 From an article in the British Medi- cal Journal it appears that Dr. Ross | has discovered the malarial germs in | the stomachs of mosquitoes, and that | in all probability each kind of malaria is propagated by it's particular insect. Messrs Whitehead and Spring Rice, by | whom the report before us was pre- pared, remark: Tt would appear that | by the simple expedient of using mos | quito nets a European traveller could l be safely passed through the dangerous | fever belt till he reached the highlands,
 where fever cannot be acquired, al-
 though it may and does frequently re-
 cur. Tb.s fact would be of immense
 importa~ce in the colonization question. l Another important observation. if con- | firmed, 1t is black water fever is simply
 due to quinine poisoning, and that qui- nine should only be administered at 1 certain stages of malarial fever, to be
 determined by the temperature If this l is so, African travellers or residents
 should be informed as to the proper use
 of quinine and of the dangers of its
 abuse. ."--London Times.