THE PHILIPPINES 79 



of malaria. Most persons tolerate quinine well, but occasionally one 

 is found who cannot take the drug even in small doses without 

 experiencing a serious reaction. It is important to know if such an 

 idiosyncrasy exists, for the inability to take quinine may lead to 

 grave consequences should the traveller contract malaria in the 

 field. Advice should also be sought from an experienced physician 

 regarding the taking of prophylactic quinine in infected areas. The 

 essential role played by the mosquito net scarcely needs emphasis here. 



While it is comparatively easy to avoid contracting malar ia r 

 the avoidance of the dysenteries and other intestinal ailments is 

 not so easy for many more factors are involved. In some respects 

 dirty hands constitute the greatest menace to the traveller in the 

 tropics. All the intestinal diseases are contracted through the 

 ingestion of the germs causing them. All represent the taking in 

 of faecal matter, usually in minute quantities, excreted by other 

 persons suffering from the same infections. Avoidance of these 

 diseases consists in the avoidance of food and drink that may have 

 become so contaminated, and the hands of food handlers are a 

 prolific source of trouble. It should be remembered that even cooked 

 food may afterwards be contaminated by food handlers or flies and 

 become almost if not quite as grave a source of danger as uncooked food, 



,,Some one in the party should be delegated to see to the disposal 

 of the bowel discharges of the members of the party. A place 

 convenient to the camp should be so selected that it will not drain 

 into any stream or body of water, or within the immediate boun- 

 daries of the camp, and every member of the party should be 

 compelled to defecate into a pit at this point and immediately 

 cover the faeces with earth as a protection against flies. Before 

 the camp is abandoned, if circumstances admit, a hot fire should 

 be maintained in the pit for at least half an hour. 



,,It should be remembered that practically every native of a 

 tropical country harbors one or more intestinal parasites. Many of 

 these are not a source of immediate infection, but others are 

 dangerous as soon as they leave the intestinal tract. While much 

 of the natural water in unsettled districts probably is safe, it should 

 be recalled that in the Philippines typhoid fever is working into 

 the native population and may be water-borne as may some types 

 of bacillary dysentery. Therefore, as a general principle, all water 

 used for drinking or cleaning of eating utensils should be boiled. 

 Likewise, all green vegetables should be thoroughly cooked. Food 

 handlers should be compelled to keep their hands out of the food. 

 In the event of sickness, one member of the party should, if 



