The Omaha guide., 1947-08-23
Road
To Health

BY Clyde DonneII, M. o.

"aidfto
People are often unnecessarily
worried when they are told they
have malaria, a disease which, in
most cases, can effectively con-
troller and often need to do the
patient no permanent harm. An
important achievement to come
out of the war was the
development of new drugs for the
suppression, treatment and cure
Of malaria. If the Facts were NOR
generally known, we could end
the fea- wh,ca prevents many
people from Getting effective
treatment.
I remember Mrs. Wilson's dis
tress when she called me to say
that her husband was iii. He
has chills and fever, headache,
and dizziness. He feels weak and
sick at his stomach, too, she said.
That's malaria, isn't it, doctor:
I've seen many people taken that
way. And he'll have attacks all
his life, won't he? They say you
never get rid Of malaria"
Nov, you can't be sure it's
malaria. Other diseases have SIM
liar symptoms" I told her. And
even if it is malaria, you Certainly
need not worry about his having
it the rest Of his life. We know
some very effective ways treat
ing it,
Win I saw Mr.. Wilson end
found that his case really was
malaria, he was terribly distress
ed. He told me that his mother
had died of the disease. He was
afraid that he, too, would die, Or
that, at best, he would never a.
gain be able to be able to do use.
full work and support his family.
1 Immediately told him that his
fears were groundless. In the past
there were many deaths from
malaria. But efficient use of
drugs, such as those used by the
military forces during the war.
resulted in almost no deaths from
malaria among the men and wo-
men who served overseas in the
malaria ridden Pacific and Medi-
terranean regions. These drugs
were found to control the fever
promptly during an attack and
were most efficient in Kidding the
body of the malarial parasites.
Moreover the time between at.
tacks was heightened.
I explain to the Wilson's that
they now had a responsibility to
see hat the malarial parasites in
the patients body were not
spread o others in the community.
Malaria is spread by the female
Anopheles mosquito. When the
mosquito bites a person who has
malaria, she such his blood con-
tanning parasites into her body.
If she bites a well person some
two weeks later, she puts the par
asites into his blood, and after
about 8 to IA days he will come
down with malaria. I told them
that the patient must be kept well
screened so that mosquitoes
could not get at him.
To protect himself as far as pos.
sibile, from future attacks, I
warned Mr.. Wilson that he must
keep in physical condition. Sleep,
good food and fresh air required
to get well. The patient must take
no drugs other than those pres
cribed by he doctor. I emphasi.
zed that if he followed the course
of treatment carefully, there
was no reason why he should not
feel better soon.
Here are some rules that every
one should follow to prevent NAL
aria:
Screen your house, close Chin
neys and fireplaces not in use.
Cover cracks in floors, walls and
ceilings. Kill mosquitoes that get
into your house. Clear up breed.
ing places near your home.
Your community can do its
share by draining or filling.in
swamps and stagnant pools where
mosquitoes breed. Places that
cannot be drained or filled should
be sprayed. If we get rid of mos
quitoes, We can wipe out malaria.
Glover From Italy
Crimson clover was introduced