The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-11-27

Lugo. at Rome, had TO protect its sale
With a decree. by which it became
known as the cardinals powder.
Forty-iive years later Charles II OF
England. owing 10 the opposition of his
physicians, had 10 take the drug secretly
for malarial fever; having been cured OF
H. he made a decree guaranteeing and
protecting Talbot. the inventor of the
tincture OF bark which had cured him
The medical faculty at first was diffident
In accepting the remedy. although its
value was recognized by such able men
as Sydenham and Tort. The latter. Who
obtained such splendid therapeutic re-
suits, even in the severe forms of ma
laria. was accused by his colleagues Of
causing death in pernicious cases Of ma
laria with this treatment.
After the introduction Of the use Of
quinine but little advance IN the studv
OF the fever was made beyond the cues
ton OF prevention by land drainage until
the mosquito theory was strongly adj
vanced in the year 1886 by Mendini in
his ''Guida Igienica III Roma. " Previous
20 this. Bignami demonstrated that the
hypothesis Of incubation by the bite of
certain mosquitoes was supported bv
many facts. He showed that the lnfec-
ton could be carried from one man 10
another.
Development of Mosquito Theory.
He undertook extensive experiments
causing healthy men 10 be bitten biz
mosquitoes captured in malarious places.
these were afterwards found 10 be of
The genus culex. But he did not sue
coed in reproducing the fever. Then
came Grassi. who suggested using the
Anopheles, and by their agency malarlal
fever Ia pronounced type was pro-
duced.
Following this lead the Italian sciep-
lists have proved that the fever is NOT
transmitted in impure water. is not con
tagious. that the germs cannot be con-
Neyed through the air. and that the
incubation Joy the bite or the certain
species Of mosquito is the only WAY IN
which the disease can be spread II
only becomes necessary to discover The
characteristics OF the dangerous insect
and devise ways and means OF exter-
minating it,
II was soon found that the maisriaI
bacillus possessed two forms: the one
discovered in the human intestines
yeloDed I'm the body Of the MOSQUITO
after sucking the blood OF man suffer
ing from malaria IS more perfect aud
possessed Of sex. The male and female
breeding produce a body which has
been termed zygote. The conclusion
was soon reached that man is the tenn
poraE host of the malariaI parasite.
and the mosquito its definite host. In
man the parasites may continue to re-
produce themselves for months and
years. but their complete or perfect life
Is the sexual one which takes place In
the body Of the mosquito.
Growth Of Malarisl Bacillus.
The ability 10 transmit the germs
does not follow Immediately after the
mosquito has sucked the blood from a
fever patient. II has been determined
that IL requires from nine to eleven
days for the male a:.4 female gametes
10 breed and produce the tiny bodies
which mixed with the saliva OF the mos
quito enter the blood Of the next man
bitten after their birth and produce in
lection.
A local scientist experimental win
sixteen mosquitoes which were intro
duced into "A cage with pigeon inocI-
lated with the malaria bacillus. ono
mosquito was killed each day for six
teen days and its body examined through
powerful microscopes. The gradual for
nation of the parasites was easily de-
tected. and il was ascertalned that fuu
development was not secured before the
tenth day.
Much has been done and Is being done
ia Italy and other European countries
10 exterminate the diseale-carrying mos
quitoes and destroy tncIr breeding
places. The use of crude petroleum oil
Is found 20 be encctual in Destroying
the larvae. and draining marshes and
lowlands 10 lessen their number But
In many countries. and particularly in
South America, the mosquito Will con