Licence: In copyright
Credit: The prevention of malaria. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.
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![THE PREVENTION OF MALARIA CHAPTER I HISTORY 1. Ancient Times.—Dr Richard Caton has kindly tried to ascertain for me whether there are any distinct references to malaria in the ancient Egyptian writings ; but informs me that he knows of none in the medical papyri or temple inscriptions, and that Dr J. H. Walker confirms this state- ment. It should be noted that Strabo (first century B.C.) observed that Alexandria, in spite of marshes in the neighbour- hood, was free from malaria in his time; and even at the present day the disease does not abound in Egypt as much as might be expected. In Greece and Italy, however, malaria has been well known for more than two thousand years; and Greek and Italian authors have collected many references to it in old writings. Recently Mr W. H. S. Jones has given us a laborious and exhaustive study of the subject made in the light of our present knowledge [1907, 1909]. The first-named authors have always taught that the disease was very prevalent in those countries from the first; but Mr Jones, following a tentative suggestion of mine, gives many reasons in favour of the view that it may have entered them from without during historical times, and may subsequently have exerted considerable influence upon their civilisation. Thus, there are few references to it in the earliest literature, A](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21351600_0025.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
