1887.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 5 
be considered a mere epiphenomenon until its causal relation can be proved 
by inoculation upon lower animals, is not to be entertained in the present 
state of scientific investigation. The lower animals seem to be immune to 
this disease. But some recent inoculation experiments upon man give support 
to the belief that the parasite is the essential cause of the malarial fever. 
Marchiafava and Celli have, in five cases, made the direct experiment of inject- 
ing blood from malarial patients, and which was observed to contain the 
parasite described, into the veins of individuals free from malarial disease and 
from exposure to malarial influence (?), and claim that typical attacks of inter- 
mittent fever have resulted, and the temperature charts leave no doubt of this 
in three of the five cases. Examination of the blood in the case fully described 
was followed by the discovery in the blood of the presence of many pigmented 
leucocytes and of the ‘ initial form of the parasite.’ Quinine was now admin- 
istered, and bothdisappeared. Ina second case similar results were obtained— 
the appearance and rapid increase of parasites until the use of quinine, then 
their sudden disappearance. 
Laveran finds additional evidence in favor of his view of the réle of the 
parasite in the operation of quinine. He found that the parasite quickly dis- 
appears from the blood under the operation of quinine. In blood drawn 
from a vein and rich in parasites, notably those of form No. 2, with motile 
filaments, a drop of solution of the salt of strength ;4, of 1 per cent., or 1.1000, 
quickly arrested the motion of the filaments and caused them to assume the 
cadaveric form. 
The writer of this paper and others have produced results which show that 
the amount of quinine in a dose of ten grains, if absorbed at once into the 
blood of a man of 160 pounds, would only form in the blood a strength of 
1.15000. The experiments of Ceri and others show that a solution, 1-800 to 
1.3000, of a soluble salt of quinine is required to prevent the growth of bac- 
teria, and hence it was concluded that drugs did not possess any parasiticidal 
efficacy in relapsing fever. It is then evident from these facts that dacterza 
are not the organisms dealt with. But there is evidence to show that the 
infusorta, on the other hand, are far more sensitive to quinine, and the evi- 
dence favors the belief in an amebozd blood parasite like that discovered by 
Laveran. iad 
Further researches are no doubt required to establish the claim of this par- 
asite to admittance to the family of disease germs. It may be that we shall 
find eventually that its life-history is more complex than at present supposed. 
But the fact seems undoubted that the organisms described by him as found 
in the blood of malarial-fever patients are, in truth, parasitic micro-organisms, 
and, further, that they are directly concerned in the etiology of the malarial 
fevers. 
If this proves in the end to be true, it will be another illustration of the fact 
that we often arrive at the truth through a series of errors, and that veritable 
discoveries are often viewed with unreasonable skepticism because they do not 
correspond with preconceived ideas, while pseudo-discoveries, which fall in 
with the current of prevailing opinion, may receive general credence upon a 
very poor foundation of experimental evidence. 
Notes from Japan. By Romyn Hitchcock. 
Writing as ‘foreign correspondent’ of the ,Jowrna/, in this distant land, 
with only such books of reference as we have brought from our own library, 
our contributions henceforth must be classed among those of which it is usually 
announced, and always understood, that ‘ the editor does not hold himself 
responsible,’ etc. For the present editor of the Jowrza/ should not be sub- 
