The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-12-05

since been recognized as animal and
placed IN the genus PIasmodium. Three
distinct species are known--one which
takes only forty-eight hours to completes
It's cycle In man. That is the cause Of
the ordinary tsrtian fever, where the pa
tisnt has g chill on alternate days. The
second form takes ssvsnty-two hours
to compIsts les Developments, and Is the
cause OF the qaurtan fever. The third
form is the cause OF the so-oaile1 irregu-
lar estfvo aufumnal fever.
Although the parasite was discovered
twenty years ago, 1t is only within two
years that its life history has been
worked out. This lie exceedingly compll-
Gated and has direct bearing upon the
origin OF maiarial Infection. 1t CONTRA
diets many popular ideas regarding ma
IariaI diseases, and it win take some
time TO convincs the public that the con-
illusions are correct. However, there IL
absolutely no ground for sceptioism. The
parasite runs through double cycle, and
thus appears to MS In two distinct forms.
One cycle IL present In the blood OF the
human being, and Is the cause OF disease.
This microscopic organism is known as
an asexual animal; that Is, males and
femalss cannot be distinguished. Inc
other cycle IL found in certain mosqui-
toes of the genus anophele5. In this
stage the animal is sexual, and males
and females can be- clearly distinguished.
Inc parasites takes O position In the wall
OF the mosquitoes stomach and there
form minute germs known as sporozor.
ties, which gradually work into the
glands OF the INSECT. Then whenever
m osuuito bites q person she leaves a
few germs under the skin. These
germs, running through the asex-
uaI stage In the human being, repro
duoe SO rapidly that tine ordinary para
site OF tertlan fever gives life TO about
$50. 900, 900, 900 within twenty days time.
IL we would exterminats malarial diseas-
es, mosquitoes must first be exterminat-
ed, for IL Is impossible for the parasite or
malaria 90 complete It's work without the
aid Of ths mosquito.
"While there Is a popular impression
that mosquitoes have something to DO
with malaria. people generally believe
that malaria is caught either from
breathin swamp air or drinking Inn
pure water 1t must therefore be expect
ed that the results OF recent scientific In
vsstiRation Will be doubted Biological
iy, however, there is only one exception
+ ) the law that malaria Is transmitted by
mosquitoes. Ii a psrson In certain
Z
tackled by biting fly or some other in
sect, and that insect should infect a
healthy person with Iualarial germs, 1t
might develop a case of malaria. such
an occurrence, however, would be excep-
tional
sit sounds RADICAL continued DIR.
stiles 'to assert that the existence OF
nalarial diseases IL absolutely dependent
upon mosquitoes, but the sooner tine fact
Is realized the sooner we Will get rid OK
these diseases, Man is not the only ami
NAL that has malaria, but no other has
the same malaria found In man. A
large percentage OF sparrows, swallows
and pigeons, have n disease which corre-
sponds to malaria, but IL Is not tra1s-
missibls to man"
81 have heard 1t suggested that In
some regions where mosquitoes are plen-
ty malaria Ia unknown, and that malaria
exists where there are no mosquitoes, but
in plenty OF places where man exists yell
low fever Is unknown. Other conditions
must prevail to pro1uce malaria besides
the presence of man. We must have man
present for the disease to develop; Soc
ondIy, we must have mosquitoes OF the
genus anopheles to transmit the disease.
and. thirdly the germs which cause the
disease. You can have mosquitoes and
man in given locality. but II the germs
are not present the disease VIII not ex-
ist.'
"Can you prove that malaria is not
transmitted by the air or by drinking
waters' DIR. Stiles was asked
''This involves the demonstration OF the
negative" he replied ut Is impossible
to demonstrate that the germs OF malaria
DO not exist In the air. On the other
hand, it is biologically impossible to con-
ceiye of their existence In the AIR. The
burden OF proof rests upon those who
claim that malaria can be transmitted by
breathing the air without the intsrven-
tion of the mosquito, The idea that ma
Iaria Is transmitted by the air or drink
ing water Is purely q theory, without
proof back OF It. IL should be recalled
that mosquitoes hy at night. Hence IL Is
natural for people tn infer that night air
causes malaria. Furthermore, mosqui-
toes are common near swamps hencs the
idea is prevalent that the air OF the
swamps caused the DISEASE
DIR l.. D. Howard, the entomologist of
the Department OF Agriculture, who Is
another mosquito "sharp, tells OF certain
districts where malaria has been praeti-
oiIly stamped out by killing on the mos
Quitoes. He Ii Of the opinion that boards
Of health and municipal authorities will
be forced Co take up the question or the
determination OF the mosquito In sys-
temAtic manner and thus rid their neigh
borhoods of the cause OF this disease.
While aware that many physicians are
still skeptical regarding the transmis-
sion OF malaria by mosquitoes, he urges
a sanitary campaign against the malaria
mosquito, whieh can be recognized by
thoss seeking to exterminate him. Ha
can be detected in the darK as well as
during the day. His note IN singing is
about four tones lower than the ordinary
mosquito, a fact that corresponds with
the usual distribution Of parts In operas,
where the villain always has the bass.
DIR. Howard says the best method of
exterminating mosquitoes is by pouring
Kerosene on the stsgnant water where
they breed. This kills the larvae In the
water and the adult female when she
comes to lay her eggs. In cases where II
is impractical to use petroleum, small
minnows placed In the water Will rapid
liz devour the mosquito larvae.