The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1899-08-11
BATTLE OF TINY FOES
ONE MALARIA GERM AGAINST
THREE LUSTY PHAGOCYTES.
Combat Observed Under a Microscope
causes of Malaria and Life of Its
Mierobe-How Mosquitoes Transmit
the Disease to Men.

If there were no mosquitoes in the
world probably there would be no ma
larla. This Is because malaria Is
caused by a microbe which Is carried
about from person to person by the
mosquito. In other words, malaria is
blood disease in that mosquitoes
suck up the microbes from the blood Of
one person and then fly off and inocu-
late other persons with those germs.
Meantime. the mosquitoes have mala-
ria. Flies transmit the germs Of ty-
phoid fever. heas disseminate anthrax,
and mosquitoes are the purveyors Of
the malaria which cause elephantlasis,
and OF the plasmodlum which causes
malaria.
The malaria germ propogates its spe-
cies by augmentation. Periodically
every day, or every three days, or
every four days, according to the type
Of the disease, the full-grown germ
subdivides and each division becomes a
full-hedged microbe, with power to re-
produce itself. All the germs plas-
modla. as they are called-subdivid
throughout the human body within
some minutes Of one another. 1t is this
that causes the periodical chill in ma
larla patients. In fact, when you see
a malaria patient 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 deyoured by
phagocytes IN the blood In fact,
great many are thus deyoured. When
malaria Is well advanced the number
Of germs Is so much greater than the
number Of phagocytes that quite
enough are spared to do damage.
When the augmentation at last is
complete, some wonderful process Of
telegraphy, or perhaps the recognition
Of the germ Itself Of the end of the
then stage Of its existence, gives what
might be called an lntra-human signal
and the universal breaking away Of
the young germs takes place. The
process is repeated again and again,
until the sufferer dies or the growth Of
the germs Is checked by medical or
other means. But in describing the
life Of the germ It has been assumed
that 1t existed within the human body.
How did 1t get there? Undoubtedly air
and water transport the malaria germ,
under certain conditions, but there is a
far more potent disseminating agent
the mosquito.
While there can be no doubt that ma
larla in Its several forms is the result
of n microbe, 1t is yet evident that there
are conditions under which the germ
VIII not thrive. A dry atmosphere is
fatal to germs Of all diseases, and to
the malaria germ particularly. Mala-
ria affects those who break the soil of
low ground, who sleep on or near the
earth, who battle in or drink stagnant
water. Soldiers fatigued by long
marches who camp amid enervating
surroundings are extremely liable to 1t.
Yet the disease may not show itself
until some time after the march, for
the reason that troops travelling in
swampy districts usually are allotted a
daily proportion of quinine, which after
all may merely deaden the effects of
the germ for the time being. This prob
ably was the reason so many soldiers
were Ill Of malaria at Montauk point.
In Cuba the quinine held the disease
In check. In fact. it may be said that
where marshy districts exist so also
will malaria.