What is malaria? : and why is it most intense in hot climates? : an enquiry into the nature and cause of the so-called marsh poison, with remarks on the principles to be observed for the preservation of health in tropical climates and malarious districts / by C.F. Oldham.

  • Charles Frederick Oldham
Date:
1871
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: What is malaria? : and why is it most intense in hot climates? : an enquiry into the nature and cause of the so-called marsh poison, with remarks on the principles to be observed for the preservation of health in tropical climates and malarious districts / by C.F. Oldham. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    1G8 ]867j the official report states: '^In the Northern (Division) the great prevalence of paroxysmal fevers was in the Royal Artillery at Ahmedabad, and the 49th Regiment at Deesa. The latter corps, which had a remarkably high proportion of cases of continued fever, at the same station, in the preced- ing year, returned only three cases of that type, during year under review.”* The constitutional change, above alluded to, is accompani- ed however by a continually-increasing depression of the vital powers; the effect of long residence in a hot climate being, as already shown, to increase the sensitiveness to any fall of temperature and, in the white race, to produce a low state of vitality; thus rendering the system extremely liable to attacks of disease. Even in the dark races, previous exposure to an unac- customed degree of heat increases the susceptibility to malar- ious fevers, on subsequent exposure to chill; as is seen sometimes in India, on the removal of native troops from a very hot district to one which is cooler. Thus at the station of Bangalore, it has been observed, that native troops are particularly liable to fever, especially on their first arrival; and more particularly those coming from the western coast or Carnatic, where the climate is much hotter and more equable. Bangalore is 3000 feet above the sea, the station and neighbourhood are remarkably free from all supposed sources of “malaria,” and, for the white soldier, it is one of the healthiest stations in India; so healthy indeed, that an official report states : “ The statistics of the troops stationed at Bangalore, the next largest European station in the com- mand, bear sufficient evidence of the high standard of health they enjoyed, in the salubrious climate of this delightful can- tonment.”! “ Malaria” then caunot be blamed, for the prevalence of fevers amongst the native troops at this station. • Army Med. Iteports, 1866,1867. t Army Medic%l Report, 1866.