The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-05-07
MOSQUITOES AND MALARIA.

I Among the great Achievements OIL
science in the nineteenth century, our
victories over disease give special dis
tinction to the closing decade. Con-
sumption, the most fatal of all diseases,
has been found durable in it's incipient
stages by continuous living in pure air;
diphtheria has been conquered by the
anti-toxine remedy; malarial infection
has been traced to its sole cause In the
bite of certain species of mosquito,
and this has just been followed by the
corresponding discovery that yellow
fever infection likewise originates with
the same insect. This latest discovery
Is direct outcome of the occupation of
Cuba by the United States. and 1t Is
probably not too much to say that its
value to humanity is immensely in ex-
cess of the cost of the war with Spain.
Yellow fever thus appears to be
particular virulent form Of malaria.
This seems to account for the close re-
semblance of that disease to certain
forms of malaria, so that at our army
hospitals at Santiago in the late war
one was often mistaken for the other
by the surgeons. These discoveries will
not only effect radical changes in deal
ing with malaria and yellow fever. but
portance may be looked for. The
quently of the proper methods Of treat
ing them. can hardly fail to change the
relation of civilization to the tropical
regions of the earth
Malaria Is n disease so universal in
It's range as to comprise vast areas of
the temperate zone in it's fields of infec-
ton, as well as the greater portion of
ha Nuh ire 70 fol
prevail. 1t has, therefore, been the
chief bar to spread of modern civiliza
ton in the tropics, and, in its guise of
yellow fever, 1t has converted certain
cities and districts into veritable plague
spots; for instance, Havana, Vera
Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, and large por-
ton of the African coast. Malaria and
yellow fever have been chiefly RESPONSE
asible for the long accepted dictum
that 1t is physically impossible for the
white race to flourish in the tropics.
With the source of the evil known, and
the remedy accordingly made possible,
will not the dictum itself lose its author
ity, and the vast tropical regions. the
most fruitful portions of the earth, be
added to the undisputed domain of
modern civilization, as represented by
the white race?
The white race can liYe and civiliza
ton flourish almost anywhere when in
fectious disease Is kept away AS a
rule, life Is more agreeable for most
persons in warm weather than in cold,
and in mild climate than in a rigorous
one. So with proper clothing and diet,
life In tropical climates can probably be
made comfortable and healthful. The
main thing Is to keep mosquitoes away,
BY the proper use of screens, and, per-
haps, OF ointments obnoxious to insects,
there should be no great difficulty I'm
this, so that, with well arranged, port
able MEETINGS, 1t would even be posi-
BILE to sleep safely I'm the open air.
Hitherto the needed precautions against
these insects have not been taken, since
they have been regarded merely as a
painful annoyance, rather than the ter
rible pests that they have been dis
covered 10 be.
There are remedial means as well as
While Infection from mos
quito bites can be diminished immense
ly by proper screening etc, II can
hardly be wholly avoided But I'm case
this happens, the remedial metdohs
thar have been devised promise 20 make
the illness slight ana recovery almost
certain Professor Koch announces
that he has been entirely successful
with his experiments with incubation
against malaria, both 90 prevent In
fectlpn ana 30 cure ana like results
are reported from applications ~ the
yellow fever serum % Or RelausaEhi
Altogether the conquest ~ malaria
and Yrll0Y fvyer must mean bsnenta
lnFHilmahle Coz the human faee, Here
ln ihls county yellow fever has M
niriti enormous damage ~ tbs south
and ihai section has Hfnnd Az constant
dread ~ ita inruHaH Win Ne nature
kn0NH, a Nill mot b. dinieuli mai
isf 10 80 porte Ike Havana ani FefN
fuf ~ n fniifflY ana radically ~
fsfrni guafapiiHs mfihuaR aHalhFi liE
entrance in ilhs ipuniIp all ~ in ~
az Ava u sssWn lltels ibai = nee
ffa iH ifaFgAl rlflifRiiuu Hill aFif
nsm 49, hisinnlpf N ihr isepilfih