The sun., 1899-04-23
A BATTLE OF TINY FOES.
ONE MALARIA GERM AGAINST THREE
PHhGOCYTES.


II there were no mosquitoes in the world
probably there would be no malaria. This Is
because malaria is caused by microbe whicn
10 carried about from person to person by the
mosquito. In other words. malaria is blood
disease. in that mosquitoes suck up the mi
crobes from tho blood OF one person and then
fly off and iuocuate other persons with those
germs. Meantime tho mosquitoes have
malaria. Flies transmit the germs OF typhoid
fever. heas disseminate anthrax. aud mosqui-
toes are the purveyors Of the hlarla which
cause elephantiasis and Of the plasmodium
which causes malaria.
This transmission Of the microbe OF malaria
has been proved bv the experiments OF DR..
Ronald Ross OF the Indian medical staff. He
worked In the laboratory OF Col. D. d. Gun
ningham In Calcutta. He fed some mosqui-
toes on patients afflicted with malaria and then
allowed these same insects to puncture the
bodies OF captve birds. The In oculation was
quito complete During his Investigation DR..
Ross saw remarkable battle. This was
1Rht between a malaria microbe and three
phagocytes. The phaRocytes are really white
blood corpuscles They have been called the
policemen OF the blood and their business In
life is to devour all the impurities. foreign
substances and disease germs OF the blood.
In this instance the microbe succeeded In
worsting tho three phagocytes.
Until DR.. Roses Investigations there was no
certain kno Wedge of the cycle OF the malaria
germ. Chills and fever. orafever and aRue.
were terms expressive. Of peculiar climatic
affliction. Laveran. after years OF continued
argument. succeeded in showing that It was a
germ disease. but the complete history OF that
Rerm,.oi which there are several varieties. has
not been known until lately.
The malaria germ propagates its species by
seRmentation. Periodically every day. or
every three days. or every four days. accord
ing to the type Of the disease. the full-grown
germ subdlvides and each division becomes a
full fedRed microbe with power to:reproduce
itself. All he:germs-plasmodia as they are
called-subdivide throughout the human body
within some minutes OF one another. 1t Is
this that causes the periodical chill in malaria
patienta. In fact. when you see malaria pa
tient UNDERGOING his daily chill you may know
that millions Of young malaria germs are Just
breaking away from the parent stem. The
young germ Is In danger OF being devoured
by phaRocytes In the blood. In fact. great
many are thus devoured. When malaria Is
we'll advanced the number OF germs is 80 much
greater than the number Of phagocytes that
quite enough are spared to do damage. The
germ at this period 10 only shapeless mass OF
matter carried along in the blood and contain
ing within it's minute mass still more MI
mute Quantity OF pigment-like specks which
dance about violently in the little animal. 1t
has instinct enough to protect itself from fur
ther depredations OF phagoctyes. 1t feeds on
the contents OF red blood corpusces. and as 1t
devours the hRmoglobin contained in The cor
puscle 1t .rawls inside tho skin OF the latter.
tha better to keep clear OF the phagocytes.
These little scavenGers OF the blood actually
have been seen under the microscope to be
danaiyad nv fhfa trick NJ fhe m ala
The germ does not eat the skin Of the red cor-
puscle. Therefore. when the phaRocyte comes
up to malaria germ inside the red blood cor
pusce It may feel 1t all over. but 1t generally
passes by. misled as to its genuneness. So
the plasmodium. secure in its retreat. goes on
eating the inside Of its little house and grow
lug against the time Of its reproduction. After
a time 1t becomes crescent shaped. and then.
II it is examined under glass. the remains OF
the red blood cell skin can be seen stretching
across the hollow side OF the crescent. As the
germ grows older the crescent shape grad
half gone the circular, germ DIVIDES into two
can be seen under the microscope: the germ
actually does not divide until later. After
subdivide or change to four. and these again to
When: the augmentation at.last is complete.
somo wonderful process OF telegraphy, or per-
haps the recognition OF the germ itself Of the
end OF the then stage Of it's existence. gives
and the universal breaking away OF the Young
germs takes place The process is repeated
growth OF the germs is checked by medical or
other means. But in.describing the life OF the
has been bSs shat An i e. ste With
Undoubtedly air and water transport the ma
laria germ under certain.conditions. but there
Is Tar more potent disseminating agent-the
When section of fresh human blood con-
scope Slide and the germs are observed care
fully for some time. II will be seen that re-
instead Of remalnins % sSaeeess me mass e's The
young germ will elonRate or spread and ut last
throw off arms or tagella. which are violently
waved about in all directions. and which seem
to impnrt power OF farbitr; ~ motion backward
and forward across the field OF the microscope:
, lately as its death throes. But now IL seems
that this suddenly acquired power OF inderen-
dent movement comes to the microbe for two
comoton outside u S the human body; The first
ons o ess he ps
medium which had Just acquired It's tlagella.
he saw .phaRocyte make its way directly. to
OF devouring it.. Ordinarily thi. would have
been easy: but the germ instead OF allowing
q battle royal that lasted over fifteen minutes.
Finally the phagocyte drew of and the plasmo-
croscope slide for distance OF two fields. to
where another phaRocyte was wander ing aim
! lesSly. IL hurled lt5elf on the aecOnd phaRo
cyte. pushing hard against it with one OF its
| arms. The phagocyts tried to rear up and
! get around and enyelop the rasmodium, hut
finally gave un and hattened itself against an
uir bubble while the plasmodium still kept on
pummelling it. After fifty minutes. another
phagocyte appeared. coming rapidly across the
| field. The plasmodium then left its fallen foe
and attacked the newcomer. The third phaR-
, ocyte got enough OF II In about one minute.
and turned squarely around. fleeing across the
ter five minutes the plasmodIum let 90 and the
phaGocyte skunk away; The malaria germ had
| by his time reached the limit Of its endurance
in the rapidly weakening blood ON the micro
! scopic slide It grew slightly larger apd quite
sluggish and finally attached itself to the glass
! OF the slide and died.
! Now It is evident that the plasmodlum has
q moving existence outside the human body
! This is best explained by the experiments OF
, DR.. Ross on mosquitoes. 1t seemed probable
! that the malaria germ was sucked out OF the
| human body by the flea. the bug the louise. the
| leech. tho sand fly or the mosquito. The geo.
/ graphical distribution OF the disease pointed
| to the last two. and especially to the mosquito
! SO DR.. Ross secured some specimens Of 'he
gray or barred.back MOSQUITO and allowed
Then he examined tho blood OF the MOSQUITO
| under the MICROSCOPE and secured piG snts
! of the disAaan la alsp inDculnfeI birds hV