37 



The male gamete (<?). (i) The chromatin is 

 more voluminous than in the female, it is of a looser 

 texture ; that of the $ being compact is centrally 

 placed or extends in a broad band across the cell. 

 (2) It stains a characteristic greyish-green or greyish- 

 red colour with Romanowsky, has little blue, so that 

 the pigment is clearly seen, yellowish-brown in colour, 

 while the female stains a deep blue, more deeply than 

 the schizonts (i.e., asexual forms) (Fig. 10). 



3. Quartan. Gametes are often very rare, 

 presumably because the asexual fever stages may 

 proceed with a clockwork regularity for months at a 

 time. The $ has much voluminous chromatin, and 

 the protoplasm stains light blue. The $ has a small 

 amount of compact chromatin and stains deep blue. 



APPEARANCES IN FRESH SPECIMENS 



N.B. It is impossible to detect young parasites unless the films 

 are thin and uniformly spread with the cells lying side by side (Fig. ll). 

 If the cells overlap or are deformed in any way it is waste of time 

 searching for young rings. In a properly spread specimen the red 

 cells appear as uniform straw-coloured discs with a central paler area. 



I. Young Parasites. The most characteristic 

 features ' which distinguish parasites from other 

 appearances in the red cell are (a) the characteristic 

 opaque white look, like that of a white cloud, the 

 definite contour, and the fact that the central portion 

 of the parasite is of the same colour as the red 

 cell which is in fact seen through its substance. 

 The ring has often a thickening at one point, giving 

 the ' signet ring ' appearance. (b) On watching 

 such a ring from time to time it is seen to have 

 definitely altered its shape. (c) Pigment, perhaps 

 only a grain or two may be seen, but in malignant 



