158 BACTERIOLOGY FOR NURSES 



MALARIAL FEVER 



Malarial fevers are characterized by periodic oc- 

 currences of chills, fever, and sweating, with a dis- 

 appearance of the symptoms between the paroxysms. 

 The intermission varies, occurring daily quotidian; 

 every other day tertian; and with an interval of 

 two days quartan. Of the four forms of malarial 

 fever, one, the " pernicious " type, is usually fatal 

 and seldom occurs outside of tropical countries. 

 Malarial fever is due to a parasite known as plas- 

 modium malarice, or more properly hemamceba. The 

 parasite of malaria was first observed and described 

 by Leveran, a French army surgeon in Algiers, in 

 1880. Shortly after, Golgi observed that the several 

 types of malaria were due to different malarial 

 organisms, and that the chill always occurred when 

 sporulation took place; that is, when a brood of 

 young parasites entered the blood. The parasite 

 attaches itself to the red corpuscles of man and 

 there passes through the process of spore-formation, 

 the duration of the process corresponding to the 

 intermission between the paroxysms. 



Before these discoveries the cause of malaria had 

 been attributed to low marshy lands, to the rainfall, 

 to prevailing winds, to the season, and to the drink- 



