The New Lenox malaria case / by J.F.A. Adams.

  • Adams, J. F. Alleyne (James Forster Alleyne), 1844-1914.
Date:
1883
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The New Lenox malaria case / by J.F.A. Adams. 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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    Dr. C. C. Holcombe, of Lee, after describing the cases lie had treat d, and the condition of the locality, was asked what cause he could discover for the dis- ease. He replied, “ l he conditions that exist about the defendants’ dam, as I have described it, are suffi eient cause for the cases.” On being asked what those conditions are, he an- swered, “ I mean the conditions which could be re- moved by thorough drainage.” Dr. J. F. A. Adams, of Pittsfield, said, “My belief is that the prevalence of the fever is due to the swampy nature of the locality. 1 his affords a soil favorable for the development of malaria, but this development would not take place except for the epidemic influence which comes from without. He described the progress of the epidemic northward through the western portions of Connecticut and Massachusetts, appearing first and prevailing most violently in the vicinity of swampy places. He did not accept the germ theory because the existence oi a specific germ is not yet proved, but thought it more in accordance with the known facts than any other theory. He believed the malarial poison was ex- haled from the swampy land on the margin of the reservoir, and from the muddy bottom when exposed to the sun and air. He considered the condition oi things in this locality peculiarly favorable to the de- velopment of malaria and similar to those which have always and everywhere been found to conduce to the prevalence of malarial fevers, lie believed that if the dam had not been there the cases of this disease in that neighborhood would have been very few, and that the removal of the dam would greatly diminish the number and severity of such cases. Dr. W. H. Wentworth, of Pittsfield, said. • I do see a sufficient cause for the disease. It was the low, swampy condition of that valley. . 1, i Dr O. S. Roberts, of Pittsfield, said, *1 think l discover the cause in the shallow water, which ex-