PARASITES IN MALARIAL FEVER 29 



The chromatin nodules in half-grown benign tertian 

 and quartan are easily distinguished. The vesicular 

 nucleus is still present and the chromatin no longer 

 appears to be a solid block, as it seems to be composed 

 of several fragments. In deeply stained films of benign 

 tertian granules staining red, Schuffner's dots can be seen 

 throughout the red corpuscle containing the parasites 

 (Plate I, 7, 8, 9). 



Later in both tertian and quartan forms the vesicular 

 nucleus and the chromatin mass break up and the whole 

 parasite stains irregularly blue. 



Before sporulation, chromatin masses again appear in 

 the periphery of the parasite. At first these are few, but 

 later they are more numerous, one corresponding to 

 each spore or division into which the protoplasm divides. 

 When fully formed each spore contains a nodule of 

 chromatin embedded in an oval mass of protoplasm 

 which stains blue. The vesicular nucleus is indicated 

 by less deep staining near the chromatin, but is not 

 sharply defined as it is in the spore after it has entered 

 the red corpuscles (Plate I, 4, 5, 14, 15, and Plate II, 

 10 to 23). 



The corresponding forms in subtertian malaria are very 

 rarely found in the peripheral blood. 



The gametocytes of quartan and tertian can be readily 

 recognized in the stained specimens. 



The space free from pigment does not stain with the 

 unaltered methylene blue, but contains numerous granules 

 usually forming a clump of chromatin, which stains less 

 deeply than the chromatin of the sporocytes. 



In a stained flagellum a narrow strip of chromatin is 

 seen in the middle. The polar bodies also contain 

 chromatin. 



In the gametocytes of subtertian malaria crescents 

 chromatin is in a different state of aggregation in the 

 males and the females. In the females the chromatin 

 forms a nearly solid block in the centre of the clear space 

 enclosed by a ring of pigment. In the males, the chromatin 



