MALARIAL FEVERS 247 



full of water, is not favourable for the multiplication of 

 mosquitoes and it has long been known that malarial 

 fevers are less prevalent under such circumstances. 

 The total number of deaths from malarial fever 

 during the census year 1900 was 14,874 and the 

 proportion per 1000 deaths from all causes was 

 14.9. The proportion during the census year 1890 

 was considerably greater (22. i). The popular idea 

 that the negro is less susceptible to malarial fever 

 than the white man does not appear to receive sup- 

 port from the census returns as the mortality among 

 the coloured was 59.8 per 100,000 of population and 

 among whites 6.5 per 100,000. But it must be re- 

 membered that the coloured population of the United 

 States is located to a much greater extent than the 

 whites in the more malarious regions of the country. 

 Another factor which probably vitiates the statistics 

 to a considerable extent is the fact that many deaths 

 ascribed to malarial fever are doubtless due to typhoid 

 fever. This mistake in diagnosis has frequently been 

 made in all parts of the world and is especially liable 

 to occur among an ignorant population. The mortal- 

 ity from malarial fevers does not, however, fairly re- 

 present the mischief accomplished by malaria-infected 

 mosquitoes. 



The forms of malarial fever commonly encountered 

 in the United States are rarely fatal, especially if 



