Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-04
DECLARES MALARIA
THREATENS RACE
Near East Relief Expert Says
Disease Is Greatest
/ Scourge of World.

NEW YORK. July 3.--The future
Of the white race depends today on
the conquest of malaria, declares VIII
liam Jordan Rapp, secretary of the
Near East Relief's Malarial Commits
sion, in the current issue of the In
dependent.
THE new invasion of the hot coun-
tries by men from the temperate zones
makes the humiliation of malaria an
urgent necessity, If the tropics are
to profit the white man. instead Of
destroying him." he says.
Mr.. Rapp recently completed sur
vey of malarial conditions in the Near
East. as secretary of a commission
headed by DR.. F'ridjof Nansen. Even
in the United States, he points out
mosquitoes cause annually 100000
cases of malaria with an economic
loss of 100000 900. The situation is
far worse in the Near East.
Vitality Is Undermined.
Historians attribute the decay of
such great Civilizations as the Babylon
ian, Egyptian and Greek to malaria"
says Mr.. Rapp. "The disease is still
so prevalent that the vitality of the
whole population of Greece. Asia
Minor, Syria, Palestine and Armenia
has been undermined by the recurring
fever. Civilization seems to be break
ing down before this insidious enemy.
Our studies show that malaria in
that part of the world has increased
by leaps and bound since the war
1t was war sweeping over the North
eastern lands, that broke down the
peoples resistance and made way for
the ravaGes of malaria. Many
scourges follow in the train OF. war,
but none is more deadly in the long
run than this malady. which stalks
on the wings Of mosquitoes through
out the lands which were the cradle
of the Western civilization.
More and more the realization
that malaria is a social disease is
being driven home. Where people
are prosperous-well housed, we'll
fed. profitably and healthfully occu-
pied-malaria is seldom a serious
problem. even in the tropics. A
prosperous people possess the neces-
fight the malady. In the United
States malaria is largely restricted
to the poor agricultural population
of the Southern States. where its
ravages are far greater than most
people realize. Government anti
mosquito campaigns are of no avail
in the face Of the apathy of Il
poverty stricken people. Distribu-
ton of quinine to sufferers act only
as a temporary palliative.
Held Greatest Scourge.
To-day malaria is the greatest
human scourge next TO war. The
waste of human life caused by
tuberculosis. cancer or any other
group Of diseases is small in COM
paiiSon with that caused by malaria.
Formerly it was thought that
quinine was specific poison for the
malarial parasite. that 1t cured the
disease by killing the parasite. II
that theory were correct, big doses
would be more effective than small
ones. But this is not the case. There
IS now overwhelming evidence that
after quinine has been absorbed by
the human organism. it Is somehow
modified by the body cells and
changed into a substance which Is
fatal to the malarial parasites. Thus
man himself is 70 some extent re-
sponsible for his cure, and any rae
tor which reduces his power OF SELF
help must reduce his hope for cure
These factors include deficient nutrl-
tion. i'll health due to eXtraneous
causes, exhaustion and strain. re-
peated infection and perhaps also
overd oses of quinine.
All Means Must Be Used.
NO single measure will eliminate
malaria. It must be fought inces-
sanity and in all ways. Every in
fected person must be treated; the
breeding places of the mosquito must
he hunted out; the vitality of the
population must be built up by i'm
proved housing and nutrition and by
better working conditions.
"A study of malaria in Persia by
the Near East Relief showed 50 per
cent of all children badly infected.
Throughout the Near East the disease
destroys every year a population
equal to that of Constantinople or
Cairo.
although malaria has yet to be
conquered, the progress of science
in fighting it is one of the great
achievements of the past century. But
it is probably true that statesmen,
agriculturalists and merchants, by
keeping the world at peace and build
ing up the prosperity of it's inhabi-
tantS, will play more important part
than even scientists and sanitarians
In ultimately vanquishing the disease"