30 Kansas Academy of Science. 



marshy districts of Asia Minor. It probably accounts for the fear of 

 "night air" so common in our childhood. The transformation of the 

 causal parasite, the peculiar disparity between the hosts, the life-cycle 

 and habits of the mosquito, and the consequent means of prophylaxis 

 are all rather complicated and remarkable. Laveran discovered the 

 parasite in 1880, and Ross startled science by announcing his methods 

 and the method of its transmission in 1895. The seeming fact that but 

 one genus of the mosquito, Anopheles, can act as the alternate host 

 with man is a peculiar circumstance. We here see well illustrated the 

 fact that seemingly unrelated data in pure science may prove of the 

 greatest practical value when coupled with other data. Knowing the 

 life history of the mosquito and its connection with the disease, one 

 method of attack is readily seen. As far as possible, prevent the breed- 

 ing of mosquitoes, keep them away from the sick and from the well. This 

 mosquito breeds in ponds, or quiet water. Its larvae breathe through 

 spiracles. Oil will form a thin film upon water. Then drain pools, oil 

 the pools not drainable, screen the barrels. These lessen the numbers 

 of mosquitoes. Screen the home with a fine-mesh netting. Be especially 

 mindful of the sick. Let people stay within doors, particularly at night. 

 This tends to lessen the infection of the insect and also of man. Then 

 it has also been discovered that quinine is a specific in malaria. Take 

 it in proper doses during the dangerous seasons. Some very dangerous 

 localities have been much improved by these practices. 



Yellow fever is quite similar to malaria in many ways. It is, how- 

 ever, much more fatal, but fortunately also more limited in its habitat. 

 But one mosquito, Stegomyia calopus, can carry the infection, another 

 fortunate circumstance. A person infected cannot infect the mosquito 

 after the third day of the fever, nor can the mosquito infect people 

 until about the twelfth day after drinking infected blood. Most of the 

 above-mentioned facts were learned through the work of four medical 

 officers of the United States army (1900-1902). Of these Lazear lost 

 his life in submitting to experiment, but thereby proved his point. 

 This is another illustration of the cost of some bacteriological facts 

 now of such helpfulness to mankind. In this instance we again see 

 a fine illustration of the extreme practicability of the seemingly im- 

 practical pure sciences. I have read that when the Panama railroad 

 was built a life was sacrificed to disease, at that time unpreventable, 

 for every tie laid, a fearful price to pay to ignorance. General Gorgas, 

 having the knowledge necessary, built the Panama canal with but little 

 loss of life from infectious or other disease. The story of this and 

 other triumphs of modern science should be pasted in the hat of every 

 legislator. Knowledge is power! We wish to stop here to voice the 

 prayer that sociology might keep pace with science. 



The cause of "sleeping sickness," Trypanosoma gamhiense, was dis- 

 covered by Button in 1901. Its causal relation was shown by Castellane 

 in 1903. Between 400,000 and 500,000 deaths resulted from this dis- 

 ease in the Congo region alone between 1896 and 1906. The parasite 

 is transmitted to man by a fly, Glossina palpalis. According to Rosenau, 

 few, if any, cases ever recover. Jordan says that it is invariably fatal 



