A Thousand Miles in a Machilla 



Little is known as to the actual cause of black- 

 water fever, but it is no doubt an aggravated form 

 of. malaria, and if the latter is guarded against the 

 former is not likely to occur. Some think that the 

 sudden taking of large doses of quinine produce 

 this form, that the veins get blocked with the dead 

 microbes unable to pass out of the system. The 

 taking of quinine should therefore be a safeguard; 

 small doses at first, gradually increased at those 

 times when much exposed to wet. I think it will 

 be found that people who ward off attacks on first 

 coming to the country will become acclimatised and 

 less susceptible, while those who have succumbed to 

 several bad attacks of fever will very easily go down 

 again. However, experience has probably taught 

 them how to treat the attack, so it need not neces- 

 sarily be a long illness. As in other things, ''pre- 

 vention is better than cure." 



The unhealthy spots are, no doubt, the low-lying 

 ground near rivers. In the higher altitudes, with 

 ordinary precautions, Europeans ought to keep 

 good health. Children born in Nyasaland appeared 

 healthy enough, but they should not remain after 

 their third year. Much of the fever complained of 

 is probably sun-fever, and preventable. I was 

 surprised to see people under a tropical sun going 

 about with light straw hats — no doubt the cause 

 of many attacks. There is a good deal of mild 

 gaiety at Blantyre and Zomba, which entails smart 

 dressing. Sun hats of all kinds are ugly and un- 

 becoming, so health is sacrificed to appearance, as 

 is often done in other climes. 



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