PLASMODIUM MALARIA. 637 



the alcohol and ether method. The preparations are 

 stained with methylene-blue, or, if desired, with a 

 double stain of methylene-blue and eosin. The prep- 

 aration is covered with a mixture made of equal parts 

 of a saturated alcoholic solution of eosin and water for 

 one minute ; wash in water and dry in air. The prep- 

 aration is then covered by a saturated watery sol ution of 

 methylene-blue for a minute or two, washed in water, 

 dried, mounted, and examined with the immersion lens. 

 Thorough drying after the eosin staining makes the 

 blue stain of the parasites sharper (Ewing). 



In some cases of sestivo-autumnal fever the para- 

 sites are chiefly in the spleen, liver, and bone-marrow. 

 The blood withdrawn directly from the spleen may 

 show large numbers, although in the circulating blood 

 they may be scanty. In these cases puncture of the 

 spleen and examination of the blood withdrawn may 

 render the diagnosis more certain, but in acute splenic 

 tumor the procedure is not without risk. The finding 

 of malarial parasites in the blood not only separates the 

 intermittent, continued, and remittent malarial fevers 

 from all other diseases in which similar fevers may 

 occur, but the variety of parasites found influences the 

 prognosis of the malarial infection. The number of 

 parasites observed on examination also influences the 

 prognosis to a certain degree, though too great weight 

 should not be laid on this point, particularly as the 

 result of a single examination. Whether there are any 

 forms of malarial infection in which there are no plas- 

 modia present in the circulating blood is a question 

 for future determination. We know that in all severe 

 seizures, if the blood is examined within twenty-four 

 hours of the beginning of the paroxysms and before 



