MALARIA?

[keith@colourplus]

I was reading a WWII unit diary (American) on Sunday and was struck by the fact that there were recorded cases of Malaria.. 2/3 most days. This was in Normandy through to the German boarder.

I am surprised as this seems high and at the rate noted it was the biggest cause of manpower loss, even if was temporary. I did notice an occasional entry for large numbers of hospital returnees (several days worth of cases each time.)

I wasn't aware of Malaria being that close to home, or was this an euphanism for something else?

Either way did this happen in WWI - (cases of Malaria) or (euphanisms in unit diaries)

Llandodlad

[Michael Johnson]

Malaria was a great problem at Salonika. Large areas of swampy ground were only patrolled, not occupied. Quinine was issued daily to the troops.

[Gunner Bailey]

Llandodlad

Malaria is a great traveller. You may be surprised to hear that at one time (prior to WW1) the Norfolk Broads were a real hot spot for the disease. Thankfully not now.

Gunner Bailey

[Robert Dunlop]

This quote 'In metropolitan France, malaria was endemic until the beginning of the 20th century in marshy areas such as the Landes, the Dombes, Brittany, Alsace, the Rhone delta, Roussillon and Corsica.' is based on this paper:

Rodhain F, Charmot G. Evaluation des risques de reprise de transmission du paludisme en France. Médecine et Maladies Infectieuses. 1982;12:231–236.

'Then, [malaria] decreased drastically due to the drying of marshes, growth of livestock, improvement of housing and life conditions and the use of quinine. The last outbreak was observed in Corsica from 1966 to 1972, with about 30 Plasmodium vivax cases. Malaria disappeared from the Camargue after World War II. Nowadays, all the malaria cases reported in France are only imported cases, excepted for three suspected, but not-confirmed, autochthonous cases in 2006 (Doudier, unpublished data).'

Robert

[DDP1955]

Hi All

I am researching a man who was in Salonika and had a number of admissions for malaria

I know it was treated with quinine, but would be very gratefull for any further info on the treatment of malaria

Many thanks

Dianne

[bob lembke]

Both my father and my grand-father contracted malaria in WW I, both in 1915, my father at Gallipoli, my grand-father in Russia. My father seemed to shake it off fairly well (although shortly before he died in 1980 he felt poorly and wondered if it had come back), but to some degree it broke my grand-father's health and he had to perform staff duties closer to or in Germany for the rest of the war, and not serve at the front.

A friend contracted malaria in down-town Leningrad perhaps in the 1970's, but then one of the glories of Socialism was the "eradication" of malaria in the USSR, and a doctor might even be in political trouble for diagnosing a case in the USSR at that time. A bit of an obstacle to effective treatment.

Bob Lembke

[themonsstar]

I met a soldier at the RLC depot who was getting MD in 2003/4 with Malaria he contracted out in Kosovo.

Anyone doing research on malaria should look at the medical sheets in MH106/2091 (Malaria) 255315-255843, at the NA.

[matthew lucas]

all very true, my grandfater served in salonika from 1916-19, his discharge papers are full of hospital visits post war and his pension - disability of 30% mainly due to maleria which my family remembers him having each summer even well after the war

matt

[Steven Broomfield]

I can't remember where I read it, but I believe a large number of men brought back from the Med area in early 1918 (after the german Offensives on the Western front) had to be rested, suffering from the effects of malaria.

The old Salonika Reunion Association's magazine was called, I believe, The Mosquito

[centurion]

There used to be many areas in Western Europe where malaria or malaria like diseases persisted. Walcheren fever for example laid low many British troops (4,000 dead) in the Napoleonic wars. Walcheren Island at the mouth of the Scheldt is to the north of Flanders

[DDP1955]

The old Salonika Reunion Association's magazine was called, I believe, The Mosquito

HaHa! How appropriate is that!

[akduerden]

I met a soldier at the RLC depot who was getting MD in 2003/4 with Malaria he contracted out in Kosovo.

Anyone doing research on malaria should look at the medical sheets in MH106/2091 (Malaria) 255315-255843, at the NA.

themonstar,

Can you give us an idea of what is in them?

Andrew

[Pete1052]

It wouldn't surprise me if the cases of malaria cited in the initial post among American troops in Normandy in 1944 were from a division that had previously served in North Africa or Sicily.

[centurion]

Because of its delayed action and recurrent nature it is sometimes difficult to tell where it was contracted. My first attack was in Britain after I had returned from Nigeria (and yes I had taken all the prophylactics prescribed - they are not 100% effective) - no one recognised what it was! It was put down to a really really bad attack of influenza. My second attack was 28 days later when I was in Oman and everyone knew what it was. So its quite possible that they picked it up elsewhere. On the other hand a form of Malaria (under a different name) was once endemic in parts of Normandy and perhaps lingered. Similarly the form later known as Walcheren Fever was once present in parts of Flanders in the Middle Ages and again it is possible that it lingered. Local populations often become inured to it and its the incomer who gets it badly.

[Pete1052]

Malaria in what we consider to be the "developed world" still breaks out from time to time and was much more common in centuries past. Today it's considered to be environmentally unsound to drain swamps and pools of stagnant water but those steps taken in the past probably helped to eliminate the breeding grounds for mosquitos. Today "travelers' malaria" occasionally happens when mosquitos hitch rides on international flights. There were malarial mosquitos in the vicinity of Dulles Airport in Virginia a few years ago but the malaria they transmitted wasn't the deadly Plasmodium falciparum type.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Before WWI there were thousands of UK service personel who had served in the East Indies: India and the island colonies; the Persian Gulf, SomaliLand... During WWI amongst the theatres listed there were others where malaria was a risk, such as: East, North, Southern and West Africa; Mesopoamia; the Pacific (such as the capture of Samoa) and fighting on the Eastern Front.

[keithfazzani]

Malaria killed a large proportion of the population of Romney Marsh in Kent until the Royal Military Canal was built in 1806 thus draining the marsh. Dengue Marsh on Romney Marshes gives its name to Dengue Fever prevalent these days in tropical countries. There is even talk, probably misplaced that Malaria might return to the Marsh with rising temperatures.

[centurion]

Malaria killed a large proportion of the population of Romney Marsh in Kent until the Royal Military Canal was built in 1806 thus draining the marsh. Dengue Marsh on Romney Marshes gives its name to Dengue Fever prevalent these days in tropical countries. There is even talk, probably misplaced that Malaria might return to the Marsh with rising temperatures.

This could only happen if someone came to Britain with already carrying Malaria and was then bitten by a mozzy from the Marsh

[keithfazzani]

That is possible, also is the transport of infected mosquitoes.

[DDP1955]

Thanks for all of this

I was initially suprised at how prevalent malaria was in Salonika. I've read the service papers of a few men that served in Salonika and the common strand appears to be malaria!

I'm even more suprised to see how close to the UK it has been in such recent times

Any other treatment for malaria other than quinine?

Dianne

[centurion]

Thanks for all of this

I was initially suprised at how prevalent malaria was in Salonika. I've read the service papers of a few men that served in Salonika and the common strand appears to be malaria!

I'm even more suprised to see how close to the UK it has been in such recent times

Any other treatment for malaria other than quinine?

Dianne

Today yes, then probably not. One of the problems was that quinine in any quantity tastes foul (its OK in tonic water where the amount is small - especially if you add a nice gin and some ice!) and difficulty was had in getting men to take it regularly. There is a well known photo of a quinine parade in Salonika where its being drunk on command.

'Quineeeeeeeennnnne, wait for it Thomkins, Glug'

[Pete1052]

The Chinese favor using a drug called artemisinin made from the plant Artemisia annua.

[centurion]

The Chinese favor using a drug called artemisinin made from the plant Artemisia annua.

Was it available then?

[Pete1052]

I believe the Chinese have used it for a long time but it's only fairly recently that the rest of the world has learned about it. Today chloroquine is the drug of choice, but the sensitivity of malaria parasites to it is declining; mefloquine is indicated in those cases.

Edit: Click here for more information on treatment.

[truthergw]

By WW2 they were using mepacrene (sp?) tablets which again were taken under supervision.