The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-10
KOCH TALKS OF MALARIA.
The Disease Is Not Contagious, But
No Race Is Immune.
From the New York Press.


Now that so many of those cat the front"
in Santiago, and about whom we have so
much concern. are suffering from dis
eases peculiar to the theories and conclu-
sions Of DR.. Koch the bacteriologst of
Berlin embodying the results of his study
of malarial diseases in tropical latitudes,
and which was translated and sent to the
state department at Washington by Frank
H. Mason, consul general at Frankfort,
Germany, should prove of value and inter
est.
Malaria, said the eminent scientist, is the
most formida BILE enemy which we have to
encounter, the most serious obstacle to the
settlement and development of our colonial
possessions IN the TROPICS We shah never
enjoy the possession of our colonies until
we have vanquished this disease. The first
steps toward successful resistance is q
thorough, accurate knowledge of its origin
and tho methods of its dissemina ton.
Malaria is distributed all over the globe.
In its mIlder forms il is found in this
country in the form of swamp fever. 1t
appears in a still more severe type in Medi-
terranean countries; bur worst of all in the
tropics. Its most violent and malignant
form is the black water fever (vomito) The
exciting cause or germ of malaria in all
its forms is unquestionably a parasite in
the human blood, which was first discov-
cred and demonstrated by Italian scien-
fists, and the functions of which are nov
definitely known. 1t appears as one of
the easily recognized rings in the red cor
pusees of the blood, which enlarges splits
into fragments, and within few hours
produces more than twenty young para
sites, which are distributed among the cor
pusces and thus disseminate and extend
the infection throughout the blood.
Prof Koch has succeeded in proving that
malaria, in its different stages of develop
ment, which are characterized by an inter-
mittingy rising and subsiding fever, cor
responds exactly with the development of
the parasites; so that by examination Of
the blood the progress and stage of the
disease can be definitely ascertained. He
has further succeeded ia demonstrating
the exact moment for the effective admin
istration of quinine, which does not kill
the microbes, but definitely checks and
limits its power of reproduction.
I This discovery was highly important, for
| as a result of 1t the physician can, with
! reasonable certainty, provide that the dis
| ease shah be cured and not run to a ia al
| result. OF course the convalescence 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 it is, on the other
| hand, a consolation to know that recovery
/ after q case Of malaria may be rapid, and
| that the disease affects the constitution
| less seriously than other fevers Of equal
| temperature and duration.
Malaria Is not contagious. The means of
! its distribution have been sought for In the
| cir and water, but Koch believes that
! blood-sucking insects are largely response
bic for its dissemination. Wherever mos
| quitoos exist malaria Will prevail Where
! there are no mosquitoes, cases of malarlai
disease occur only when the infection as
| been previously received in a malarial To-
callty. The exact relation of mosquitoes
70 malaria still lacks, however exact and
! conclusive scientific demonstration. Analo-
| gies are found where blood-sucking insects
convey disease germs, as, for instance, the
tsetse fly, and especially the Texas fever
among cattle whereas, is well known, the
| disease germ is carried by tick, or in
sect.
No race of man Is immune from malar-
! ial disease. Negroes living on the coasts
Of tropical countries are practically so
| but negroes of the same race from noun
| famous districts coming to the coast are
| susceptible 20 the fever. The former have
| according to the opinion of DR.. Koch. ac-
quired immunity through slight malaria'
attacks during infancy or youth. But
as there is this naturally produced i'm
munity, 1t must be possible to produce ar
| artificial one.
on this point Dr. Koch insists that In
| the case of malarial disease, the excit-
| ing cause of which is definitely known
| the conditions are much less difficult than
| in the case of other diseases, germs OF
| which are not known, as, for Instance
| hydrophobia and cattle plague Crinderpes)
| in respect to which a certain degree Ct
/ immunity has nevertheless been attained
The first essential step In combating
] the disease Is for the patient to leave
/ Immediately the malaria infected district
and be protected against mosquito bites
| by prophylactic doses of qunine. Prof
| Koch believes that through his studies
| of nalarial diseases in the localities where
1 its. most intense and virulent forms pre-.
| vail, the way has been opened 10 new
| lines OF study. and new limits set to the
| dangers Of the disease itself. He over
| closed his address with these words: "IV
| overcome this malady is equivalent tC
II