Relapsing Malaria

Use of a New Drug Advocated By Dutch Company

THE problem of treating malaria—and, especially, guarding against relapses— with quinine, plasmoquine, paludrine, pamaquin, pentaquine, and combinations of the same, has been discussed learnedly by medical experts in recent years. But it is all f very puzzling to the layman—who, after all, ; as the one who suffers the malaria, is the party most interested in the discussions.

A statement in the PIM in May last, that it had been found that malaria developed a 1 resistance to the drug most lately in general use—paludrine—and that quinine was coming back into use, has received a good deal of attention. From the Sydney office of a well known Dutch company, which distributes anti malarial drugs, we have received a circular which says:— “it is a well known fact that vivax-malaria (and quartana malaria, too) frequently relapse after treatment with quinine, proguanil (chlo gfunide) or chloroquine. According to the strain, vivax-malaria relapses in 50-100 per cent, of the cases.

“The prevention of relapses is an old problem. Formerly, attempts were made to prevent them by increasing the dose of the drug and lengthening the period of treat ment.” But this, it seems, introduced other complications.

From this circular, it appears that an early effort to reduce the number of relapses pro duced plasmoquine. which is a combination of quinine and pamaquin. Of cases treated with quinine only, 70 per cent, relapsed; treated with plasmoquine, 5 to 10 per cent, relapsed. But in most combinations of the two drugs, “side-actions” frequently appeared —nausea, vomiting, gastric troubles, head aches, etc.

The Americans sought less toxic members of the same group, and the experiments gradually led to the use of pentaquine, and it was found that treatment with quinine and pentaquine (which is less toxic than pama quin) gave good results; and by 1948 “it was established that the use of pentaquine marked an important step in the progress of anti-relapsing therapy.”

The company referred to is now advocating the scientific use of pentaquine in combination with quinine.

An Advocate Of Garlic

JJ/E have received the following letter from Mr. A. F. Newell, an aged man, who resides at 24 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett, Herts, England :— Recently I received from a friend in Queensland an old copy (May, 1950) of the Pacific Islands Monthly and on page 39 there is an article, “Paludrine Under a Cloud.”

This, I think, is an ICI remedy for malaria, and I know absolutely nothing about it. You say that the Papua-New Guinea Adminis tration is again giving special attention to the cultivation of the cinchona tree, with the object of making quinine.

I was for 35 years resident in India, and I have seen the ill-effects of quinine on the human system—especially in cases of recur ring malaria, or taken in large doses over a long period. Quinine, after all, is an alkaloid poison that has a deleterious effect on the human nervous system and. in time, causes nerve deafness, etc. In my humble opinion, it should be expunged from the British Pharmacoepia. But, so long as Governments have a monopoly in its growth and market ing, I suppose they can force their medical officers to use it.

I used to employ a lot of natives, years ago, and I found that by using a weak solu tion of garlic essence I kept my men immune trom malarial and other zyniotic diseases.

The use of garlic is as old as the hills, but care must be taken to get the right strength.

One drop of real garlic essence (pure) would burn a hole through the tongue. Garlic pills are being sold in this country (Britain) as a “cure all,” and I think the Welfare State Health Scheme now has put “paid” to this.

It is the sulphur in the garlic— itself a heneficient agent, with blood purifying effect— that is advertised by the vendors of garlic pills as a “bull point.” They say that their pills will not contaminate the breath, etc.

They probably do not know that it is the sulphur which causes the strong smell.

Garlic can be grown cheaply, and it is my belief that it will inhibit the growth of most baccili injurious to the human system. 1 would not be a bit surprised if it cured TB, and leprotic diseases which have not reached the tertiary stage.

In this country no one is allowed to adver tise a cure for TB, cancer, and other diseases.

Probably that is right, as fraud is widespread.

I am merely writing this in a helpful spirit for suffering humanity—l have nothing to gain

from it. At least, garlic can do no harm to the human system. There is a good chance lor some young man or firm to take this up and market it cheaply, to be within the reach of all.

Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Toogood and their two children, of New Guinea, are spend ing their leave in South Australia.

Lieut.-Col. A. 11. Stafford, OBE, ED, Chief of Staff, Fiji Military Forces, has retired after 27 years service with the army in Fiji. He joined the then Fiji Defence Force as Adjutant in 1924, with the rank of Captain. He was promoted Major in 1937. He was recalled from leave at the outbreak of war in 1939, and became Staff Officer at Administrative Headquarters of the Force. He held various appointments from 1940 to 1942, when he took command of the 2nd Territorial Battalion of the Fiji Military Forces with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was awarded the OBE in 1946 and also has the Efficiency Decoration.

Mr. F. W. Smith, who was formerly Government Printer, Fiji, and who later made several voyages in the giant Cunarder Queen Elizabeth as printer, has been appointed Government Printer, British Honduras.