Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
Have Come to Us Along With Our
New Possessions.
DEMAND SPECIAL COURSES OF STUDY
important Investigations Already
Under Way.
DANGERS OF THE TROPICS

Written for The Evening Star.
The annexation of Cuba, Porto Rico and
the Philippines has opened Up new de-
partment of medical research. The posses
sion of territory SO near the equator has
made it necessary for our medical schools
to provide students with an intimate knowl-
edge of strange and virulent diseases which
exist for the most part only in the torrid
zone. In fact, the study of tropical disease
will now be given a prominent place In the
curriculum of our universities. Several col
leges have already taken steps in this di-
rection. Johns Hopkins has gone to the ex-
tent of sending commission composed of
several doctors and students to the far
east for the purpose of obtaining informa-
ton concerning these diseases.
Not only has the United States awakened to
the Importance of this need, but other coun-
tries are taking up the matter as well.
England has established two colleges for
the STUDY OF tropical disease, one IN Lon
uon and the other In Liverpool. Germany
Is establishing d school which Will be under
the direction OF frof. Koch. Italy already
mas taken up the subject in the study OF
malaria. Perhaps The work OF these new
schools will be more IN the line of investi-
Satlon than i'll the lmpdrtIhg OF knowledge,
Ior II Is admitted that comparatively llIle
Is known or the maiadieS with winch the
inhabitants OF the tropics are compelled TO
cope. heretofore there has been no very
great need CT natfOiiS situated III the more
temperate cnmaIeS taking UP the subject.
Inc Work Is, therefore, entirely new. But
the held for research is Fascinating and
oilers many ATTRACTIONS 10 investigators.
ternapS IL Is tor tins reason that So ma ny
are entering IL. England has long Iecus-
mZeu the need of sucn a Scnool because OF
her Inutan possessions, ana SPORADIC Efforts
nave teen niaoe TO study some OF the dls-
cases with when The hlnGoo has been
aIncteu. Still, The subject never been
syStenatized as 1t now Will be.
school of Tropical Medicine.
The Liverpool school of tropical medicine
was recently opened by Lord Lister, as a
result of the advocacy of Joseph Chamber
lain. Its present home is in the Royal
Southern Hospital, and it includes twelve
bed ward and laboratory. Major Ronald
Ross Of the Indian medical service has been
appointed SPECIAL lecturer, illustrating his
remarks by iahtern Siiues and diagrams,
with references TO cases IN the ward. he Al
was who recently made starting disclosures
concerning the spread of malaria through
the agency OF the mosquito.
The twelve beds IN the ward already arc
hlled. The countries represented are emma,
India. United States, Norway, sweden. Rus
sla Finland, England and ireland, and the
diseases from which the patents suffer
were contracted in Java, India, Brazil
southern United States, farcadoS, Old Call
bar, Benin and Cape Coast Castle. the last
four places being on the coast of Africa.
Several OF these patients were sailors, anu
as they brought their ailments directly from
the tropics INTO the temperate zone, the
need of special attendance Will be easily
recognized. The London hospital VIII be on
the Albert docks and it Will not only at
tempt the study and the cure of tropical
diseases, but it will provide for the instruc-
ton of nurses to be sent into the tropics
In fact, the English physicians have been
thoroughly aroused by the recent revages
of disease in the Indian army. 1t is more
sIra, J01 bull Lois -h.,P rif jchs
rotary of war reports that in the Ttrah
campaign, recent frontier expedition 1UJo
men We're admitted to the hospital on ac-
count of wounds, while L. 100 We're admitted
en- account of disease There were 100
deaths from wounds and 60 from tropical
disease. This disproportion becomes the
more significant when it is pointed out that
the wounds of the convalescents generally
cease to trouble them entirely after time,
" lille the disease is apt to remain in the
system, periodically affecting the soldier
during the remainder of his life.
Thorough Research.
The Johns Hopkins intention. however.
will be more thorough than the English.
The hospital in Baltimore will be under the
charge of Prof William Osler. and it will
be operated like the London and Liverpool
institutions, but the commission which has
gone 20 the far east will pursue special
lines of investigation, transmitting The
SO that the courses in the college may be
more intelligeutly pursued. This commits
sion started from Chicago several months
ago, and is already at work in the field. 1t
is composed of Prof Simon Flexnor of the
pathological department in Johns Hopkins,
Joseph M. Faint and Frederick P. Gay
medical students of Chicago and Boston,
respectively, and John w. Garrett of Bal
timore. They will visit Yokohama AMI
Kobe in Japan. Shanghai, Hong Kolg and
Singapore in China, Colombo and neishbur-
ing points. But their most important work
will be done in the Philippines where they
Will study the causes, action and results of
the strange diseases which exist under
tropical conditions. The dissemination of
disease and methods for its prevention will
be the important objects of study. They
will seek to prove the claims of Alfred Rus
sci Wallace. the Englishman. who, after an
experience of many years states positively
that all white men may live N the tropics
with impunity.
Mr.. Wallace says the trouble IS not with
the climate, but with diseases which are
the result of insanitary conditions, such as
prevailed in Europe a century ago. IF we
take the great belt about 1000 miles wide
extending from u to 10 degrees north and
south of the equator, we have an enormous
area which is not only well adapted for col
onization in the true sense-that is, for per-
manent occupation of white men-but is
also. with proper sanitary precautions, the
most healthy and enjoyable part of the
world in which the laborer can obtain the
MAXIMUM return 1or the minimum amount
of toil'
Transmission of Disease.
The commission will pay special atten-
ton to those diseases which are carried
about by animals. For instance, it is well
known that mosquitoes inoculate human
beings with the germs of malaria and Of
elephantiasis. DR.. Sommer of Buenos
Ayres intimates that mosquitoes dissemi-
nate the germs of leprosy. Flies carry
about from person to person the germs of
yellow fever, typhoid fever, ophthalmia
and several intestinal diseases. Rats, mice
dogs and other animals contract the plague
and transmit it to human beings. How to
bar out these possibilities will be subject
of study.
Concerning mosquitoes, the draining of
marshy tracts is one method of relief
Prof. Koch, who will shortly go to Africa
to study the malaria question, has invented
a mosquito-proof house. and suggests its
use. Means of prevention in the other
cases not simple. First indeed, the
etiology of the diseases themselves will
have to be studied, for, as stated a mo-
ment ago, it is not too well known. Yet
what is known makes a description of
some of these maladies very Interesting
reading. There is dengue, disease