New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-14
AND MALARIA.
Their Relations Discussed at the In
terndti0naZ Medical Congress.

No medical expert now doubts that malarial
fevers are caused by the presence of a para
site, first identified by Laveran. Almost the
only questions which there is not yet uni
versal agreement relate to the share which the
mosquito has in conveying the parasite from one
human victim to another. The fact that mos
Quitoes sometimes exist where there is no
malaria is susceptible of easy explanation. The
mosquitoes may belong to the wrong genus, or
may not have had chance to become infected
Then, too, the residents may have learned to
exclude them with screens
A more pulling circumstance is that doc,
tors sometimes observe an attack of malaria
when few or no mosquitoes about This
point was discussed at length at the recent In
ternational Medical Congress in Spain, Oh which
The New-York Medical News gives an inter-
esting report Some of the physicians expressed
the opinion that the parasites did not always
disappear from patients system when he had
apparently recovered, but continued to develop
there, one generation after another completing
the cycle of existence in a human body. Such
persons were liable to have another attack with
out being freshly bitten. DR.. Ascoi, OF Rome
for instance reported that malaria IN epidemic
form often appeared in Italy in June, notwlth-
standing the fact that at this time there could
be but few infected mosquitoes. Most of these
patients showed, however, an anIeCeueht Hltit'-
rial history. proving, he thought, the fact that
the recurring attacks within the individual
were what kept malaria in readiness to infect
the young mosquitoes.
1t does not clearly appear that the congress
considered the plan for fighting malaria which
has found the most favor with American and
English sanitarians, and which is by far the
most radical. Prevention Of breeding by de-
priving the mosquitoes of convenient places
wherein to lay their eggs seems to have been
ignored. According to The Medical News,
the majority of the delegates attached the most
Importance to the use of screens to prevent the
voune mosquitoes from becoming contaminated.
DR. Ascot thought that if that system of dealing
with patients were followed thoroughly and
carefully as isolation is observed in smallpox,
1T would soon limit the transmission OF the
disease and render epidemics in low mosquito
breeding lands almost unknown" He would
employ netting not only to protect healthy peo-
pie from mosquitoes, but also to protect healthy
mosquitoes from infected persons
While accepting the theory that the genus
Anopheles is mainly responsible for spreading
malaria Dr. Hauser of Madrid, believed that
the parasite could reach human subject other
wise than by the bite of living mosquito. He
thought that the germ might live in humid earth
under favorable conditions, and that the germs
might flourish in regions free from mosquitoes
The inhalation from dried marshes or the
drinking of water infected by the bodies of dead
mosquitoes could infect, and mosquitoes dying
In marshes set free the organism which infects
man through the medium of the air.