The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-23


Inns curious change has been regarded
until lately as its death throes. But now
II seems that this suddenly acquired power
Oh independent movement comes to the mi
crooe for two purposes. One is protection;
the other is locomotion outside the hu-
man body. The first assumption is best
explained by the observations of Dr. Ross.
A Battle in Germ Land.
While observing a plasmodium which
mad just acquired its flagella, he saw
phagocyte make its way directly to the
malaria germ, probably with the intention
OF devouring it, Ordinarily this would
nave been easy, but the germ instead of
allowing Itself to be attacked, attacked
the phagocyte in battle royal that lasted
over fifteen minutes. Finally the phago-
cyte drew off and the pasmodium. still
full of fight, hurried across the micro
scope slide for a distance of two fields. to
where another phagocyte was wandering
aimlessly
1t hurled itself on the second phagocyte.
pushing hard against it with one of its
arms. The phagocyte tried to rear up and
get around and envelope the plasmodium,
but finally gave up and fattened Itself
against an air bubble while the plasmo-
dunn still kept on pummeling IT, After
fifty minuets, another phagocyte appeared
i
medium then left its fallen foe and attack
ed the newcomer. The third phagocyte got
enough Of it in about one minute and turn
squarely around heeing across the whole
held, the pIasmodium hanging on like a
snake on dog" After five minutes the
pasmodium let go and the phagocyte skunk
away. The malaria germ had by this time
reached the limit of it's endurance in 1he
rapidly weakening blood on the microsco-
pic slide. 1t grew slightly larger and
quite sluggish and finally attached itself to
the glass of the slide and died.
How Mosquitoes Transmit Malaria.
Now it is evident that the plasmodium
has a moving existence outside the hui
man body. This is best explained by the
experiments of DIR. 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, the
sandfy, or the mosquito. The geograph-
ical distribution OF the disease pointed TO
the last two. and especially to the mos
quito. So DR.. Ross secured some speci-
mems of the gray or bareback mos
quito and allowed them to feed on a man
affected with malaria. Then he examin-
ed the blood of the mosquito under the mi
croscope and secured pigments of the dis
ease. He also inocculated birds by en-
closing them under a net with malaria in
fected mosquitoes and found the disease
was transmitted. The infection nf the
birds was proof sufficient OF the supp5s-
ed transmission and that mosquitoes are
the most potent agents for promulsa ting
the disease.
1t may be said that the mosquito, taking
human blood into it's stomach would moi
cause the transmission of the germs. So
| it is claimed that this is why the microbe
develops the power of voluntary move
| ment; so that it may-attach itself to and
penetrate the wall of the mosquitoes ali
mentary canal, and finally reach the cir
culatory system of the insect, where 1t
can perform the ordinary functions of its
existence, dividing and subdividing and
getting ready generally for its Introduction
again into some unfortunate human host.
OF course the mosquito does not always
| inocculate human beings directly. 1t may
die in the egg laying process, when the
germs may thus get into water and be-
| come the source of water borne malaria
or the insect may die on land by accident
and its germ laden body be borne down
the wind until 1t reaches the proper combi-
nation for dissemination.
Geographical Extent of Malaria.
Two diseases, consumption and malaria,
| contend with one another for the mastery
of the world. Where one is, the other is
| not, but one or the other as everywhere.
The mortality records show that more
| persons die of phthisic than of maiarai
fever, but the Ill effects of the latter are
much more widespread. Economically
| speaking, malaria is more TO be feared
| than consumption.
The disease was known to the ancients,
and the marshes near Rome, which bred
Iaxfc nf &
a deadly menace. 1t is known variously
| as malaria. chills and fever, fever and
| ague. Kala Azar, tropical fever, West In
| dian fever South American fever, Next
can fever black fever, black water fever,
| highland yellow fever.
The sun never sets on the whole terri
tory in which the malarial germ operates.
| Between the Goth parallel north and the
| Goth parallel south it sweeps constantly in
a great wave of infection around and
around the world, carrying not only death
in it's track, but great loss 1t costs its
victims in the aggregate many millions of
dollars year. 1t visits the high and the
| loUlv the young and the old. Infants
| have been born with malaria and cente-
narians have died of 1t. Holt recently re-
| norted a case in a child one and half
| DAVIS old. Mosquitoes carry the infection.
| Rats have malaria and so do birds and
| animals Horses in India die OF II. stan
| lev reported that the donkeys which car
ried burdens through the center of Africa
we're susceptible. He also says that when
/ negroes were taken into new district
thew quite readily acquired the disease.
| Yet the new district was not more I'M
healthy than the one they had just left.
Sometimes the disease will Turk at the
foot of a hill and every person living
| there win become i'll; then if those per-
sons move up hill several hundred feet
thew become immune.
THE DISEASE spread up the Assam valley
IN India for twenty years. depopulatinS
whole districts. The people moved from
village to village, carrying it with them
in some cases and leaving 1t behind In
otbers. Sometimes a family would move
too Yards and leave the disease behind:
again they would move Far away from the
infected spot, but the rats and vermin
would follow in their wake, bringing the
disease. Large amounts Of money have
been spent in India to fight this remark
able malady.
while there can be no doubt that ma
iarIa in It's several forms Is the result OF
a rnlcrobe. Il Is yet evident that there
=. .eragtfone under which fhe germ Will