CHAPTER XLVII 



THE CONTROL OF 



MALARIA AND 



YELLOW FEVER 



Walter Reed. 



Underwood & Underwood 

 Hideyo Noguchi. 



How has malaria been controlled? Why were the French unable to 

 build the Panama Canal? Who was Hideyo Noguchi? 



Malaria is caused by a microscopic protozoan, known as a 

 plasmodium. There is some discussion as to whether the organism 

 that produces yellow fever has really been isolated. 



Prevalence of malaria. In 1908 there were more than three 

 million deaths from malaria in India. Along the rivers and 

 coasts of tropical countries, malaria is the white man's greatest 

 obstacle to settlement. In temperate climates such as the 

 United States malaria is not usually fatal, but in the tropical 

 countries it occurs in most severe forms and the death rate is 

 very high. 



The use of the drug, quinine, is most effective in treating malaria, 

 since it kills the malaria protozoans in the blood. In 1902, the 

 Italian government began the sale of quinine at low prices to 

 certain communities. This drug was distributed free to those 

 unable to purchase it. In 1904, the Italian towns gave it to all 

 working people. In consequence, there has been a progressive 

 reduction in the amount of malaria in Italy. During the ten 

 years previous to 1902, Italy averaged 14,048 deaths per year from 

 malaria. In the nine years following 1902, the average fell to 3853. 



480 



