Malaria

New Treatment of Malaria But May Create a Racial Menace

PALUDRINE malaria-killing and

preventive drug is a boon to the white races now but will one day aggravate their problems in the East.

When ample supplies of the drug are available to the world, the fear and effects of malaria will be conquered from India to China.

Then, according to an Army medical officer in Melbourne who has made a study of malaria and its treatment, political and racial difference will in crease in proportion to the Asiatic’s im proved physique, health and energy.

The day when the supplies would be available was not far away, he said.

Already Australia had more than suffi cient to meet the needs of her malaria sufferers.

Today it is being widely used with great success at Heidelberg Military Hospital to combat relapsing fever. Medical officers admit that the use of the drug has not completely left the experimental stage, but are confident that the new 14-day initial course about to be prescribed will be followed by a far lower incidence of relapses than has been experienced after atebrin and 10 day paludrine course in the past.

Patients are confined to bed as a pre cautionary measure during the first 14 days of their paludrine course, because during that period they are also treated withh another ‘drug, which is slightly toxic.

Thereafter, the patient is free to move as he chooses, providing he regularly

swallows two 100-milligram paludrine tablets each week for six months. By that time he should be cured of BT malaria.

Courses have been prescribed also for treating malignant malaria—the “killer” —but medical officers point out that al though an average of 14 men and women are reporting to Heidelberg every day with another drug, which is slightly ignant type has been very small since the end of the war in the islands.—Mel bourne Herald.