Volume 1

Suggestions for the care of malaria patients / drawn up for the information of medical practitioners by Sir Ronald Ross and S.P. James.

  • Ronald Ross
Date:
1919]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Suggestions for the care of malaria patients / drawn up for the information of medical practitioners by Sir Ronald Ross and S.P. James. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    * Aphasia.” “ Convulsions.” Epilepsy. Anemia and debility. Neuralgia and Neurasthenia. “Worms.” « Jaundice.” “Not yet diagnosed.” Dysentery. 5. On the other hand, of course, it must not be forgotten that in England, as in the Tropics, it has happened that in known malarial subjects all the symptoms in a serious illness have been thought to be due to malarial infection, when more thorough examination would have revealed the presence of another illness to which in » part, or in whole, the serious symptoms were due. TREATMENT. t. In all diseases associated with fever an accurate diagnosis is essential for successful treatment. ‘Therefore, when the diagnosis is at all doubtful it should be a rule not to give quinine to any patient suffering from fever until a blood specimen, suitable for obtaining ev idence of the presence or absence of malaria, has been taken. But it 1s not necessary, nor is it always advisable, to await the result of the examination before giving quinine. Quinine is an effective remedy in attacks of malarial fever, and its administration should be begun immediately the diagnosis is assured, irrespective of the stage of the attack or the height of the fever. But the drug will not act so efficiently (@) if the liver is sluggish or congested, (>) if the alimentary canal is coated with mucus or 1s otherwise in a disordered state, (c) if for this, or any other reason, the drug cannot be properly absorbed into ‘the system. 3. To obviate these difficulties, (2) a smart purge should always be given on the day that the quinine treatment is begun; (@) the quinine should always be administered in solution in a prescrip- tion that will make the taste less unpleasant,* and will aid ab- sorption and the normal working of the digestive functions; (¢) the doses of quinine should be made up in a large amount of fluid rather than in concentrated form; (d) the patient should re- main in bed until the treatment of the attack 1s completed. 4. The treatment of a case includes :— Treatment of the attack ; and “ After-treatment.’’ Especially in primary attacks the latter is as important as the former; and every medical man who has had charge of a malarial patient in his private practice in England should endeavour to * The taste of quinine is quickly removed by masticating a piece of bread, (R.R).
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