24 



The Detection of the Malaria Parasite 



We propose to describe first the actual 

 appearances which are hkely to meet the eye, and 

 later to give a systematic description and mode 

 of distinguishing the various forms of parasite. 

 A stained specimen (Romanowsky) should always 

 be used for the purpose of making a diagnosis. 



■5'ujn.cr ^oyiTLi dn^ot^ood. J^or/ns iav-pe. fo>-t^s 



C > t s c e. h_t 



Ovik.i fjocLu 



t\OUh,(L u od-W 



Fig. 3. Forms of the malaria parasite comm.only met with in the 



hlood : — The dark dots in the first line represent chromatin, 



the fine dots, pigment. 



We may first note that it is not necessary, as is 

 often thought, to examine the blood at any par- 

 ticular time, but it is very necessary that the 

 patient should not have taken quinine previously. 

 Even five grains of quinine may so diminish the 

 number of parasites as to make detection a 

 laborious task, and a negative result under these 

 conditions is not conclusive. 



In examining the slide it is a very convenient 

 method to begin at the edge of the film and to 

 work systematically towards the ' tail ' end. 



