Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-04
MEDICINE IN TROPICS
WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISH.
ED AGAINST DISEASE. :;


rFuEl the L0pdou Post
Some interesting facts bearing on the
advance which is steadily being made in
tropical medicine were presented yester-
day afternoon by Col. Kenneth Macleod,
honorary physician to his majesty the
King, In lecture with which he opened
the winter session o. the London School
of Tropical Medicine at the Seaman's
Hospital, Royal Albert Docks The
School of Tropical Medicine was estab-
iished in connection With the branch hos.
pital at the Royal Albert Docks seven
years ago. Col. Macleod in his address
dwelt on the necessity for special in
struction in the diseases of tropical coun.
tries. As these countries, he remarked.
have their peculiar fora and fauna OF
which no general teaching of botany and
Zoology or special study of the plants
and animals of temperate regions can
supply knowledge, SO there are in the
tropics special manifestations and modi-
ncations OF disease regarding which
pathology and nosoiogy. as taught In the
medical schools OF this country, afford
very little information.
The analogy. he went on to say was
py no means strained one, for the
pathology of the present day was large
~ concerned with botany and zoology
and included a study of vegetable and
animal Hfe-a fact wisely recognized i'm
the scheme of instruction arranged In
this school. Through the liberaiity of
the colonies the subjects OF protozoology
and helminthology rad been added to
the curriculum Of study-a novel and
important departure, which meritcd com.
mendatfon and imitation.
Vegetable Microbes.
The study of vegetable microbes was I'm.
Guided in that of the diseases with which
they are associated, but to complete the
teaching of parasitology there was one SUBJ
Ject which ought to be systematicaly de-
veloped, namely, pathological entomology,
insects, more speciality bloodsucklng in.
sects-the mosquito and tsetse fly, for ex-
ample-had been found to fulfill an i'm
portant function in the conveyance of in
fect,ve disease. and the harboring and
transmission Of disease germs and knowl-
eoge on this subject imperativey claimed to
De impaired and extended. Recent observa-
tons Indicated that leprosy is spread nv
insect agency, and cholera, enteric fever
and plague were very probably similarly
transmitted, but on these and other coynafe
points additional light was required He.
therefore, expressed the hope that a patho.
logical entomologist would soon be added
to the staff of the school Physioloeists and
patho ogfsts had been accused of callous
selfishness and cruelty In subiecting the
lower animals to experiment, but in the In
Vestlgat1on OF tropical diseases men them
selves had in numerous instances Incurred
risks to health and life without hesitation
Yellow Fever and Mosquitoes.
Inc u ue SduSdtiOn Oh ye1lOw FEVER was
discovered through the agency of volun-
teers. who readily subjected themselves to
dangerous hazards in disproving the old
doctrine of infection by fomites, and prov
ing the fact of communication by mosque
toes. To the marvellous progress which had
taken place during the last quarter of a
century in our knowledge of the nature and
causation of disease the tudy of tropical
diseases had materially contributed. Dur
Ing that period there was hardly a subject
that had not been illumila In malaria,
cholera, plague. leprosy and many other
diseases special causes had been demon
strated and important indications for their
prevention and treatment supplied. But as
the circle of knowledge widened the horizon
of ignorance seemed to extend. and much
work such as this school could aid and fos-
ter still remained to be accomplished.
Among those who listened to the address
We're Sir Francis Lowell, who presided in the
absence of the Duke of Marlborough Sir
Patrick Manson, Inspector General Mahon,
Sir +. NOVEL; Walker Sir Frederick Young
Sir George Denton and Prof. Blanchard Of
Paris.