The prevention of malaria.

Date:
1945
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The prevention of malaria. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    THE PREVENTION OF MALARIA 1. THE IMPORTANCE OCF MALARIA IN WAR The effect of malaria upon armies operating in malarious areas cannot be exaggerated. The casualties caused by this PREVENTABLE DISHASEH have invariably been higher than the battle casualties in every campaign conducted in a malarious country in this or any other war. It is well known that malaria will attack newcomers from non-malarious countries much more severely than the local inhabitants of malarious countries, and that the very nature of military operations is often conducive to the creation of conditions favourable for the spread of the disease. Experience of military camps or cantonments in the tropics in peace time cannot be compared with active service conditions in malarious countries. The difference in degree is that between slight inconvenience and what may amount to total incapacitation. Maiaria is a preventable disease and, in view.of the havoc which it may cause in a fighting force, it is obviously the duty of every officer and N.C.O. to.do all in his power to saieguard the heaith and efficiency of the personnel under his command. The ways and means of preventing malaria are not difficult of comprehension, but if they are to be successful they must be carried out with extreme thoroughness. Fortunately, malaria is a seasonal disease in many countries and sustained effort is therefore necessary for only that part of the year when active woman tc is going on—the “malaria season.” An intelligent understanding of the factors governing the transmission and spread of malaria, and of the principles underlying the preventive measures advocated, will facilitate the conduct of a successful anti-malaria campaign. 2. THE TRANSMISSION OF MALARIA Malaria is a disease which is caused by a blood parasite and is transmitted from man to man by the bites of infected mosquitoes. If there were no infected mosquitoes malaria would die out. Not ali mosquitoes are capable of transmitting