THE BLOOD 



1149 



Fig. 616. — ^Blood Film showing 

 ScHizoNT OF Plasmodium vivax. 



(From a microphotograph by J. J. Bell.) 



called ' latent malaria/ and can be easily converted into active 

 malaria by any cause which depresses the vitality of the body. 



Erythrocytes. — In quar- ^ 



tan malaria the corpuscle con- ^ 

 taining the parasite is a little 

 smaller than a normal cor- 

 puscle, and, if anything, more 

 darkly coloured. In tertian 

 malaria it is swollen and more 

 lightly coloured, and on treat- 

 ment with Leishman's stain 

 exhibits fine red granules 

 (Schiiffner's dots), which are 

 to be looked upon as a sign 

 of degeneration of the cor- 

 puscle. In subtertian malaria 

 the corpuscles when stained 

 in the same way may exhibit 

 Maurer's dots or clefts, which 

 appear as large, irregular red 

 formations, and also Marshall- 

 Plehn's bluish dots, the signifi- 

 cance of which is uncertain. The red cells may become transformed 

 into brassy bodies, which are shrunken red corpuscles which have 



taken on the colour of 

 ^ brass. These are cor- 



puscles which have 

 undergone some form 

 of necrosis, probably 

 ^ * due to the hsemolysin, 



" ^ though it has been 

 thought that they were 

 i infected corpuscles in 

 ^Si which the parasite had 

 J died as a result of the 

 f necrosis. 

 ■ Partial decoloriza- 



tion of the er5rthroc3rtes 

 has been recorded in 

 sabtertian infections, 

 and is especially well 

 * ' ' marked in those con- 



" . taining crescent bodies. 



Fig. 617.— Blood Film showing Heavy Bignami thinks that in 



the subtertian fever the 

 red corpuscles, which 

 are infected with the 

 parasite, have a diminished elasticity, and therefore are not so 

 capable of circulating, and cling to the v/alls of small capillaries. 



. 617. — Blood Film showing Heavy 

 Infection with Laverania malavicB. 



(From a microphotograph by J. J. Bell.) 



