114 APPENDIX. 



Treatment of Fever. 



Very few people can live in this or any other tropical country for any length of time without suffering 

 from malarial fever. 



It has been proved almost conclusively that this disease is caused by the bites of mosquitoes, and of 

 course it is quite impossible to prevent being bitten while wandering about near rivers or swamps. 



Mosquitoes bite human beings while they are moving about in the evenings or early mornings, but they 

 do most damage when a person is asleep ; so I think it advisable to always sleep under a net during the 

 months that they are most numerous, viz., from January to May. The signs of an impending attack of 

 malarial fever are headaches and a lassitude, and often weakness in the knees and joints. 



Sometimes vomiting will occur, and a sickly feeling which will make the sufferer wish to lie down. It 

 is a great mistake to give in too quickly, and I have found that a good hard walk will sometimes induce a 

 perspiration and throw out the fever. I used to suffer considerably from fever, both in Eastern India and 

 Nyasaland, but since I made it a habit to take ten grains of quinine twice or thrice a week, I have suffered 

 very little from this complaint. The worst months for fever in this country are about January and April, 

 the beginning and end of the rainy season. Constant attacks of malaria tend to an attack of blackwater 

 fever, which disease has killed more Europeans in Central Africa than any other. 



When an attack of malaria comes on the best thing to do is to lie down, when no longer able to move 

 about, pile on the blankets, and drink some hot tea with ten grains of phenacetin, and try to produce a 

 violent perspiration. If this dose is not sufficient it can be repeated in two or three hours. A complication 

 of malaria will often be ague, or shakes, which have the varying effect of producing a feeling of cold 

 shivering fits at one time and burning perspiration at another. 



In this country, when far from a settlement, it is often difficult to get proper food for an invalid, and I 

 know of nothing more disagreeable than suffering from a bad attack of malaria when there is nothing to eat 

 except tough fowls or meat, and nothing to drink except dirty water or bitter tea. I have found Warburg's 

 Fever Tincture a good medicine, but it is only used when the fever is on, and quinine is not much good at 

 that time and should only be taken before and after fever. Often a stiff dose of calomel, followed by 

 Epsom salts, will drive away an impending attack, and care should be taken to keep the bowels in working 

 order, for nothing induces an attack of malaria more than chronic constipation. Having spent about 

 sixteen years in bad climtaes, I have had a good experience of malarial fever, and I have found the treatment 

 mentioned the most beneficial. 



