656 MALARIA. 



the supposition that ho has "malaria." Again the symptoms arising 

 from indigestion, from crowd poisoning, from sewer-gas poisoning, 

 from ptomaine poisoning (auto-infection), etc., are often ascribed to 

 "malaria,'' and quinine is prescribed, frequent]}^ with more or less 

 benefit, for the usefulness of this drug is not limited to its specific 

 action in the destruction of the malarial parasite. 



As stated at the outset, it is evident, in the present state of our 

 knowledge, that the term "malaria" is a misnomer, either as applied 

 to the cause of the periodic fevers or as used to designate this class of 

 fevers. It would be more logical to use the name plasmodium fever 

 and to speak of a plasmodium intermittent or remittent, rather than 

 of a malarial intermittent. But it will, no doubt, be difficult to dis- 

 place a term which has been so long in use, which up to the present 

 time has had the sanction of the medical profession, and which expresses 

 the popular idea as to the origin of that class of fevers which we now 

 know to be due to a blood parasite, introduced through the agency of 

 mosquitoes of the genus Anoplieles. 



