OF WASHIXGTOX. VOLUME XV, 1913 115 



by Anopheles lutzii from a latent case among the workmen, and, 

 after the incubation period, first in the mosquito, then in the man, 

 appeared generally among the men as a result of the b:~ 'he 



infected lutzii. Third, that there exists a form of malaria among 

 wild animals in the forest, conveyed by A. lutzii, and that man is 

 subject to this disease when specially exposed by residence in the 

 forest and so bitten by the mosquitoes already infected from the 

 wild animals. 



In regard to the first alternative, it is difficult to discuss possible 

 sources of error at this distance from the facts, distance both of 

 time and space. It is. however, true that the ordinary malaria 

 carrier may be overlooked, especially if one is p d by an orig- 

 inal idea or theory one wishes to establish. The men may not 

 have been as strictly confined to the camp as supposed, and there 

 are a thousand and one possible chances of error, any one of which 

 may have been operative. Personally I believe that Dr. Lutz was 

 the victim of some error of this kind. 1 



In regard to the second alternative, the chance that a wild spe- 

 cies of Anopheles, never before having carried hum an malaria, should 

 be in a condition to do so when malaria cases were presented, seems 

 remote. The condition is possible, but unlikely, and should only 

 be accepted after rigorous proof. The ordinary malarial parasite 

 should be proved to develop in Anopheles lutzii. 



The third alternative is no more than an interesting possibility. 

 Xo malarial organisms are known to inhabit wild animals and be 

 transferable to man. though it seems possible that there might be 

 parasites of monkeys, conveyed by forest Anopheles, and man per- 

 haps susceptible to them. If such a relation exists, it could be 

 demonstrated by suitable study, but I think we are not entitled 

 to invoke it as an explanation of the present case merely on a 

 -ability. 



A- between the second and third alternatives, there should be at 



! It seems to me probable that some ordin;. 'htles like A. albini 



or argyritar*>* was really present, but overlooked by Dr. Lutz. It app 

 from his article that he was too much impressed by the apparent lack of 

 ground breeding-places. He found species of Janthinosoma and others 

 present, which are exclusively ground-pool breeders, but he cla?- - .em 

 as occasionally breeding in bromeliads. Apparently he accounts for their 

 presence by their supposed faculty of occasionally so breeding: but th> 

 surely an error. When Janthinosoma could be present there must certainly 

 have been abundant opportunity for the breeding of ordinary Anopr.>. 



