MALARIA

(also called Ague and Miasma), a disease characterized by intermittent paroxysms of fever. It is caused by a parasite which inhabits the red blood corpuscles; part of its life cycle is spent in man and part in the mosquito, so that man may be infected by the bite of an infected mosquito and a healthy mosquito may be infected by biting an infected man. As male mosquitoes are vegetarians, only the females convey the. About thirty varieties of mosquito, chiefly Anopheles, are known to carry the parasite. Three types of the parasite attack man. These are Plasvivax, malarioe, and P.jand 1 modium falciparum, the cause of tertian malaria, quartan malaria, and aestivo-autumn a fever respectively. Marshy soil and high temp. and humidity favor the development of the mosquito and the consequent incidence of the disease. It occurs in tropical countries, and almost all countries of temperate zone. _ Methods for prevention of the disease include the use of mosquito nets over beds, windows, doors, and verandas; marshy country should, if po ible, be drained—petroleum used to form a film over pools where mosquitoes breed; and all streams should be kept clean and free from weeds. Opinion varies concerning the prophylactic use of quinine. In the treatment of the actual attacks the bowels must be freely moved, and large doses of quinine must be administered. Smaller doses may be continued for some weeks after an attack. If administration by the mouth is ineffective, quinine may be injected into the muscles; but in the more urgent cases, such as malarial coma, large doses of quinine injected into a vein give the best hope of recovery, which often occurs with suddenne . town, ancient Melitene, Asiatic Turkey, near Euphrates; chief industry, fruit culture; produces opium; has Prot. and