18 



MOSgriTO WOIIK I\ KIIAIlTorM ASM) IN TIIK. \N(i 1,0- lUi YTTI AN Sl'DAN OKNEHALLY 



Simultaneous 

 occurrence of 

 Anoplielines 

 and Malaria 



Diminution in 

 cases of 

 " fever " 



Schwcinfurth 

 on the un- 

 hcalthiness of 

 iilil Khartoum 



!t will iif si'cii timf the town has ix-eii ki-jit in u fiiirly siit isfiic-tory stiiti-, and one vastly 

 ilitVcicnt from that which usid to obtain. Anophclinis havf hei-n practiially abolished, 

 though we are always liable to their recnrrence owing to outside infeetion, ami, latterly, they 

 have been somewhat jiersisti lit. If, Imwrvrr, iiroiiijit measures are taken as soon as thev 

 are found, they usually speedily disajjiieur. The only instances where they remained for 

 some time occurred in Khartoum, when river pools were forming ami Mr. Newlove, the Sanitary 

 Inspector, who has conducted the work with much energy, was absent on leave, and in 

 Khartoum North. In tin- latter case the irrigation tdiannels of eertiiiu barracks were in 

 a leaking condition, and in the pools which had formed the Inspector found the larviu of 

 /'_iiirli>/>/iiiriix ro^liilis. He had the pools oilid, informed the person in charge of the 

 occurrence, and received a promise tlml thr necessary repairs wouM be executed, 

 I'lifDrtimatilw lir nlicil nii tliis jJinniisc aiiil did nut again visit tlie spot till tiic time 

 came for his customary round. For some reason the work was not carried out, the 

 Anojihelines bred freely, and what is remarkable is the fact that during this period several 

 eases of primary malarial infection occurred amongst Egyptian soldiers in these barracks, 

 all being nil n who liad luver been south of Khartoum. This sliows the importance of 

 proper supervision. Inspection is often very hot and tiring work in the summer, and 

 Khartoum North is diflicult to reach, but unless care be taken to see that instructions are 

 reallv aiul correctly carried out, failure will frequently result. The simultaneous occurrence 

 of Anophelines and malaiia is very interesting. The same thing occurred at an earlier period 

 in Khartoum, Anoplielines were found breeding in small numbers, and at that time the 

 solitarv case of primary malarial infection seen by JIajor Daiisey Browniing and nivself in 

 Khartoum, during the winter of l!t04-0r), came under observation. 



It is not justiliable to make a definite statuiiieiit to the etl'ect that malaria lias decreased 

 ill Khartoum, because no statistics are available whereby this can be proved, Jlalaria is a 

 <lisease wlii<di often can only be diagnosed with certainty by blood examinations and there 

 are no records of such in the past. We do not know exactly how much malaria jn'eviously 

 existed in Khartoum though we can now obtain some idea of how .much exists at the present 

 time. There is a very general opinion, however, that cases of "fever" have diminished, a 

 supposition supported by the experience of those responsible for the health of the large 

 garrison which contains many highly susce|)tible Egyptians, There can be no doubt that 

 primary iiiaiaiia is now rarely encountered in Kliartouiii. As, heretofore, numerous cases of 

 the disease came into the city from both Niles, while ctises of recrudescence of old attacks 

 are not uneonnnon. but the carriers are usually absent and hence the parasites are not 

 transferred from tlie sick to the healthy. I have not .seen a living, wild, adult Aiio|dieline 

 ill Khartoiiiii for iiKne tliaii a year and a half and 1 am always on the outlook for these 

 insects. 



It is instructive to examine old records. Thus Schwcinfiirth* writing of the year 1S71 

 and ilescribing his return to Khartoum says: " In spite of everything, however, the sanitary 

 condition of Khartoum was still very unsatisfactory. This was entirely owing to the 

 defective drainage of that portion of the town which had been Imilt below the high-water 

 level. In .lulv when I was there I saw many jiocds almost large eiKMigh to be calleil ponds 

 that could never ])ossibly dry up without the apjilieatioii of jn-ojier means for ilraining them 

 of!'; stagnant iiiider tlie tropical sun they sent forth sudi an intnliialilr steiidi that it was 

 an abomination to pa.ss near them. When it is remembered that Khartoum is situated in 



• The Heart of Afriai, Vol. II., \i. •-'79. 



