The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-12
complete the cycle Of its lfe-history,
must BECOME the tenant Of both mos

complete the cycle Of its ife-history,
must become the tenant Of both mos
quito and man successfully.
Malaria a few years ago was as much
mystery as cancer is today. It was
generally supposed to be attributable
to poisonous ''miasmas engendered by
swamps, in the neighborhood of which
tho disease was observed to be most
prevalent. At length, however, it was
discovered that the real agent Of the
mischief was minute protozoon, an
animal organism Of tho lowest order,
which, when introduced into the body,
develops oar-like appendages and pad
dies about in the blood, following the
tide Of circulation thru the veins and
arteries. This parasite, multiplying in
great numbers, feeds on the red cor
puscles of the blood, disturbing the
physical economy in such fashion as to
induce the symptoms familiarly known
as chills and fever -~
+ + +
Now, for some time after the diseov-
cry Of the parasite in question it was
supposed that the protozoon, to which
the name plasmodium malariae has been
given, entered the body in drinking
water, or else in dry state by way Of
the lungs. Only about half dozen
years ago was 1t ascertained that q
mosquito was always and invariably tho
carrier. Not any mosquito, mind you,
but single species, called anopheles.
Every case Of chills and fever on rec
ord, every epidemic Of malaria known
up to date, has been caused by this
insect, which is easily distinguishable
by any intelligent layman thru the
fact that it has gray spots on its body
and stands on its head, with it's tail
in tho air, when 1t bites. It flies only
at night, and its song, uttered in q
lower key than that Of any other kind
Of mosquito, is distinctly recognizable.
In order to secure complete and indis-
putable evidence in the case, two physi-
clans Of the London School Of Tropical
Medicine, Drs. Low and Sambon, built
a small house in the most malarious
part Of the Campagna, near Rome
fever-haunted spot at tho mouth Of tho
Tiber. They exposed themselves in
every possible way to the unhealthful
conditions of tho locality, even going
out on rainy days and walking about
in wet clothing; but they stayed in tho
house at night, protected by window
and door screens against the mosquitoes,
which promptly at nightfall made their
of the wire netting. Not symptom of
malaria did these earnest Investigators
develop; but they sent to London some
specimens Of anopheles which had bit
: ten chills-and-fever patients in the Ro-
;. man hospitals, and these insects
I promptly communicated malaria to
healthy persons whom they were en-
> couraged to bite. a' -s,.-. 80
y + i. r
Thus the whole mystery, which for SO
t long a time was deemed an insoluble
8 puzzle, has been finally cleared up. We
:. now understand why the neighborhood
= of stagnant ponds and swampy places
5 is likely to be malarious, inasmuch az
such localities are productive Of mo.
squitos. We know that, in the treat
? ment Of cases Of chills and fever, the
q first thing to be done is to screen the
Q doors and windows, thus preventing fur
n Their infection. As a remedy we give
o quinine, which is useful for the reason
g that it is poison deadly to the parasi
6 tic protozoon. It Is 50 deadly, in fact
that a few doses Of it would kill al
Of tho parasites present, were It not
in tho earliest stage Of their develop
ment that are inclosed in Z membran,
which protects them.
But for quinine malaria would be re
80 ~
q Gus Of diseases. Where constant rein
lection continues for a long time, fata
4 results are likely to ensue. Indeed
It some kinds Of malarial germs are e1
IT tremely malignant, persons attacked be
.e ing carried of in few days. The so
d called "Roman fever is malaria o.
N this type, and in many tropical region
Is fevers Of like character prevail to sucl
% an extent as to render them uninhabit
II able by human beings not acclimated
IL There is good reason to believe, how
"a ever, that the dangers would disappea
j. if proper precautions were takel
es against night-fying mosquitoes.
m 1t appears, then, when the question
" is considered "in the large" that tn
IF insects which prey upon human being
a even the house fly is in the strictes
sense Of the word parasite Of ours
are enemies Of mankind in much NOR
Sc important degree than has hitherto bee
IN supposed. They are not only annoyin
I'd and destructive Of comfort, but ea
y tremely dangerous. For the distribr
I'll ton of many Of the worst diseases the
OF are directly responsible, and in vie'
=. of the crimes proved against them it
~ ohuiouo that no rneasuree too sweapin
~ or too drastic can be adopted for thei
r. destruction-the main object sough
1T (inasmuch as exterminatidn is obviousl
IN impracticable) being to restrict the
VI multiplication and set limit upon the
activities in tho inhabited regions Q
the globe. DIR. J. V. Shoemaker.