PLASMODIUM MALARIA. 637 
the alcohol and ether method. The preparations are 
stained with methylene-blue, or, if desired, with a 
double stain of methylene-blue and eosin. The prep- 
aration is covered with a mixture made of equal parts 
of a saturated alcoholic solution of eosin and water for 
one minute ; wash in water and dry in air. The prep- 
aration is then covered by a saturated watery solution of 
methylene-blue for a minute or two, washed in water, 
dried, mounted, and examined with the immersion lens. 
Thorough drying after the eosin staining makes the 
blue stain of the parasites sharper (Ewing). 
In some cases of estivo-autumnal fever the para- 
sites are chiefly in the spleen, liver, and bone-marrow. 
The blood withdrawn directly from the spleen may 
show large numbers, although in the circulating blood 
they may be scanty. In these cases puncture of the 
spleen and examination of the blood withdrawn may 
render the diagnosis more certain, but in acute splenic 
tumor the procedure is not without risk. The finding 
of malarial parasites in the blood not only separates the 
intermittent, continued, and remittent malarial fevers 
from all other diseases in which similar fevers may 
occur, but the variety of parasites found influences the 
prognosis of the malarial infection. The number of 
parasites observed on examination also influences the 
prognosis to a certain degree, though too great weight 
should not be laid on this point, particularly as the 
result of a single examination. Whether there are any 
forms of malarial infection in which there are no plas- 
modia present in the circulating blood is a question 
for future determination. We know that in all severe 
seizures, if the blood is examined within twenty-four 
hours of the beginning of the paroxysms and before 
