The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1903-08-28
RED RAYS OF THE BLOOD.



Additional insight into the phenom-
ena Of malarial fever may possibly be
Afforded by a theory Just outlined N
the New York Medical Record. The
disease Is now generally attributed TO
parasite IN the patients system, and
be due to, or associated with, the op-
Grating Of splitting or multiplication.
DR.. A F. A. King, OF Washington, ex-
presses the opinion that the process
is promoted by the action Of red light
Several reasons are offered for so think
ing. This organism belongs to the ami
NAL kingdom. and is practically an
amoeba- II is already known that red
light stimulates other amoeba. and
darkness seems TO prevent their null
tiplication- The great majority of ma
IariaI chills occur during the daytime.
Inasmuch as the parasite Is immersed
IN the blood, II is under the influence Of
q rudy illumination when q strong
white light falls on the surface Of the
body Finally. It Is conceivable that
the comparative immunity Of negroes
to malaria may be In some measure an
effect OF the color Of their skin
An ingenious phase OF this hypothe-
sis IS its bearing upon the recognized
potency Of quinine- This drug Is one
Of several which possess the property
Of fuorescence- FTuorescence affords
violet light, and the latter antagonizes
or suppresses red rays. Dr. King deems
It possible that the speculation Of the
parasites may be checked by fuores-
cence- Qufnine does not always break
up mz1arial fever. but Il Is suggested
that the organisms which remain thus
obstinate may be those Of the -cres-
cent" type. According to DR.. Patrick
Manson. leading authority on the dis
ease. the crescenr-shaped PARASITES hide
In the spleen, brain and darker re-
cessss of the body Thus, in DR. Kings
Judgment. they are not exposed to the
fiuoreseent action of the quinine.
Though shrewd IAymen who have had
much experience with ~chills and
fever" may be able to pick flaws In the
theory here presented. and though ply
sicians may find 1t even more vulnera-
Bile. 1t least one thing can be said In its
favor. II Is not fatty contradicted by
accepted notions in regzsd to bacterial
disease Typhoid fever, diphtheria and
for instance, are the effects of
toxins secreted by bacilH The germs
OF those and some other maiadies CD
crate directly. and their products can
be, and have been, isolated
The parasite OF malaria, not being =
form OF vegetable life. ia apparently
Tree to work in an entirely different
Whatever other objections
may be offered to DR.. Kings surmises.
any lack Of similarity between the lat
ter and the fairly well established theo-
ries OF bacteriology would be by NO
means fatal
II by further experiment his couyic-
lions should be confirmed. perhaps new
methods OF treatment might be suggest
3D. At present 1t does not seem likely
hat quinine VIII soon be superseded.
but It would be interesting to know
What could be accomplished by the ex-
posture Of . patient to violet light or |
to absolute darkness. Ex-
,ept in special institutions. the former
agent would Be costly. Darkness could |
y more easily obtained in the patients
1vn home, be It never so humble. OF
soarse. there would be diMculfy In per-
Euading him to Submit to IL for 4 long |
tme- Stiii, If tests Of the right char
scfer were undertaken It might be found /
hat the remedy would prove eflcacious
Without being absolutely continuous.
Another line Of inquiry which might
rove fruitful = hunt for drugs of
higher fuoreseenf power than that of
Iuinine- Wisely directed effort BY ply
1ciAns having mAlarial cases. CON-
nenfs the New York Tribune, ought
! = few Donfhs TO throw much lixht
, IL soundEeQ G D.. Kings vfevx