Prevention and treatment of malaria / by W.E. Deeks.

  • Deeks, W. E. (William Edgar), 1866-1931
Date:
1925]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Prevention and treatment of malaria / by W.E. Deeks. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    18 tion of quinine alone is patent to everyone who has concerned himseli with this treatment. The following observations confirm such a statement :— At Liverpool, during the World War, two-day courses of treatment were given in doses of from 5 to 120 gr. daily; the results, as well as the methods of administration, are shown in Table 2. Furthermore, twenty-nine cases were given 30 gy. of quinine daily for eight weeks, and 83 per cent. of them relapsed within an observation period of two months. 5 These were undoubtedly cases of chronic malaria. From these observations we must conclude: First, that brief courses of quinine, no matter how large the dosage, are without value in the treatment of chronic eases ; and secondly, that prolonged courses of large doses of quinine, continued over a period of eight weeks, cure only a small percentage of chronic cases. These conclusions are in marked contrast with the results obtained in primary infections—a practical point which should be stressed. In order to obtain results in this class of cases, in addition to quinine, we must utilize all remedial agents which will tend to increase the natural resistance of the patient as well as combat com- plicating, debilitating conditions or infeetions, as apparently quinine alone in any amount over any period of time will not cure some of these chronic relapsing cases. Among the numerous complicating diseases, in chronic cases resisting quinine, syphilis must be con- sidered. I have repeatedly drawn attention to the fact that this condition must be treated simultaneously with the malaria infection, or our efforts to cure the patient will be-futile. It is in this class of cases that the arsenical preparations are of great value, and the good results obtained have often been misinterpreted. Arsenic does not cure the malarial infection, but assists materially in overcoming the debilitating
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