IMPORTANT 
To be kept in personal 
possession at all times 
MALARIA 
MOSQUITOES 
AND MEN 
MALARIA TRAINING M VNUAtl/NO 
NAYMED 143 
(ALL PERSONNEL) 
Prepared by Training and Educational Division 
Malaria and Epidemic Disease Control 
South Pacific Area 
The Information in This Manual is not to be Communicated 
Either Directly or indirectly to the Press nor to 
Any Person not in the Armed Forces (Allied) 
UNITED STATES 
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
WASHINGTON : 1944 MALARIA, MOSQUITOES AND MEN* 
The purpose of these questions and answers is to pro- 
vide simple information on malaria and its control for instruc- 
tional purpose and for wide distribution. 
1. What is Malaria? 
* MalAria *ds a disease caused by very small parasites. 
These parasites red blood cells and destroy them. 
2. When should a man suspect he has malaria? 
A man should suspect malaria when he has a chill fol- 
lowed by fever and sweating. The chills and fever may come at 
regular intervals, sometimes every day, sometimes every second 
day, and sometimes*£Very third day, depending on which kind of 
malaria parasite is in the blood. 
3. Does malaria always behave the same way? 
No. The symptoms of malaria vary greatly in different 
persons and at different times. The symptoms of malaria may be 
anything from a headache to a delirious fever, or even sudden 
unconsciousness. In places where malaria is common any fever 
or severe headache should suggest the possibility of malaria. 
4. How can a man be sure whether or not he has 
malaria? 
The only way to be certain that one has malaria is to 
have a drop of blood examined under a microscope for parasites. 
Sometimes medical officers can recognize malaria from symptoms 
alone without examining the blood. 
5. Is malaria a serious disease? 
Yes. Malaria destroys a man’s blood and makes him 
weak. In combat, that may cost him his life. At any time it may 
keep him in the hospital for ten days or longer. It may make 
him a chronic invalid for a year or more. It may kill one or two 
out of every hundred, persons if not properly treated. 
* From War Dept. Circular Fetter No. 44, Revised and Extended. 
601547°—44 
2 6. Is malaria serious for armies? 
Yes. Malaria may be more serious for an army than the 
enemy. In the last world war the British and German armies 
faced each other in Macedonia for three years unable to advance 
because of malaria. In the South Pacific Area malaria has 
caused over eight hospital cases for every one caused by battle. 
7. How does a man catch malaria? 
Man catches malaria from mosquito bites. The mosquito 
carries the malaria parasite from one man to another. This is 
the only way in which malaria spreads. 
8. Do all mosquitoes carry malaria? 
No. Fortunately, only certain kinds of mosquitoes, 
called anophelines, can carry malaria. 
9. How does the Anopheles mosquitoes carry malaria? 
Anopheles mosquitoes suck up a drop of blood which 
they need for food, and then fly away. If there are malaria para- 
sites in that drop of blood these are taken with the blood into 
the mosquito’s stomach. Then the malaria parasites raise a large 
family in the mosquito’s body. 
10. How soon can an Anopheles mosquito infect an- 
other man after it has fed on someone who has malaria? 
Usually in about ten days. By this time the young 
family of malaria parasites has grown up and is waiting in the 
mosquito’s spit or saliva glands for a chance to infect a man. 
11. How does the Anopheles mosquito infect a man? 
Every time the mosquito drills a hole into a man’s skin 
for blood it drools some saliva into the hole and if malaria para- 
sites are in the saliva they go into the hole and so into the man’s 
blood. 
12. How soon after a mosquito's bite does malaria show 
up in a man? 
Usually in from eight to fourteen days. 
13. How is malaria cured? 
There are drugs called quinine and atabrine, either of 
which when given by a medical officer for a week will often 
cure malaria. Other drugs, one of which is called plasmochin, 
3 are also used to treat malaria in some cases. But sometimes, 
even though a man feels well after treatment, the drugs have 
not destroyed all the parasites. Some may hide away in the in- 
ternal organs. Then, after ten days or a month or sometimes 
longer, the disease appears again. There may be several such 
attacks (called relapses) which have to be treated each time 
like a new infection. 
14. Can malaria be prevented by keeping fit? 
No. Malaria is one of the diseases that will hit the 
strong as well as the weak. 
15. What Is Malaria Control? 
There are two kinds of malaria control. One kind is 
known as mosquito control and is directed against anopheline 
“malaria” mosquitoes. This work is carried out for us by Ma- 
laria Control Units. The other kind includes measures which 
each man must do for himself, and which no one else can do 
for him. 
16. How Is mosquito control work done? 
The “mosquito experts,” called entomologists and the 
engineers, control malaria by attacking and outwitting the mos- 
quito. They know that the anopheline mosquito must spend 
the first week or ten days of its life swimming in certain kinds 
of water collections, such as streams, ditches, ponds and pits. 
Whenever possible this water is eliminated by draining or fill- 
ing. They know that oil and paris green will kill the young 
mosquito wrigglers in water. Therefore, when filling or drain- 
ing is not advisable, one or the other of these poisons is spread 
where it will do the most harm to mosquitoes. 'They also know 
that adult mosquitoes cannot pass through screens; so the 
right size screening is put on tents and huts. They know that 
certain sprays will kill adult mosquitoes; eo there is a program 
for spraying places where the mosquitoes are resting. Finally, 
they know that most malaria mosquitoes can fly only a mile 
or two; so camp sites are chosen which, if possible, are not near 
mosquito breeding places, and not near native villages. 
17. What can each man do to prevent malaria? 
There are some very simple but extremely effective 
things which each man can do. The man who carefully uses a 
bed net, who keeps his body covered with clothing and regularly 
rubs repellent liquid on exposed skin has by far the best chance 
of avoiding malaria. In addition he must stay out of native vil- 
lages and get behind screens at night. He must know how and 
when to use sprays for killing mosquitoes. 
4 18. When is it most important to do these things? 
With rare exceptions the anopheline, “malaria mos- 
quito”, bites from dusk until sunrise. Malaria is not carried 
by pest mosquitoes which bite in the daytime. Therefore, we 
should do everything possible to avoid mosquito bites from sun- 
set until sunrise. 
19. How are sleeping nets used? 
Sleeping or bed nets are used to protect a man when 
he is sleeping. It is important to use them properly. They must 
be tucked in so that the mosquitoes cannot get inside; the net 
should be so arranged that a man does not sleep up against the 
side and thus allow the mosquitoes to feed on him through the 
meshes of the net. After getting under a net, one should search 
for mosquitoes and kill them before going to sleep. This should 
be done with a flashlight if possible. There are places in the 
tropics where a single night of sleeping without a bed net may 
result in an infection rate of 20 per cent among unprotected 
troops. Bed nets must be carried in each man’s pack to be 
available on the first night ashore. 
20. What is meant by protective clothing? 
Protective clothing is any clothing which gives pro- 
tection against mosquito bites. Trousers must be tucked into 
shoe tops, and socks drawn up outside trouser bottoms to pro- 
tect the ankles. Shirts must be worn after sunset. Sleeves must 
be rolled down to protect the arms and collars must be but- 
toned. There are also gloves and headnets which, although 
sometimes hot and uncomfortable, will keep mosquitoes from 
drilling holes in the skin of the neck and face. Don’t wear 
shorts at night or at any time in the jungle. Do not sit around 
with your shirt off at night. Do not go swimming, or take a 
shower in an unscreened bath house at night. 
21. What are repellents? 
Repellents are chemical solutions which when spread 
over the skin will keep the mosquitoes from biting for three 
or four hours. When men are sweating a repellent must be ap- 
plied more often. A repellent should also be put on the cloth- 
ing wherever this is thin enough or tight enough so that the 
mosquito can drill through it (for example, at the shoulders or 
seat). Eight or ten drops rubbed on cheeks, back of neck, hands, 
and wrists are enough. Be careful to keep it out of your eyes. 
Each man should remember that there may be times, 
particularly in combat, when the use of a repellent is the best 
22. How important are repellents? 
5 way to protect himself. If repellents are used regularly and 
faithfully, a man can go through the most malarious jungle and 
have better than a fair chance to avoid the disease. Repellent 
should be used during night air raid alerts. 
23. How and when should spray killing of mosquitoes be 
done? 
The quartermaster supply officer has sprays which 
will kill mosquitoes. A new*“bomb” sprayer, known as a freon- 
pyrethrum aerosol dispenser is available. No spray gun is neces- 
sary as the freon produces the necessary spraying pressure and 
the pyrethrum is left suspended in the air as a cloud of fine 
droplets. This mist persists for some time and will protect 
small groups of men in fox holes, gun positions, jungle shelters 
and other front line situations. This spray is highly concentrated. 
Eight seconds of spraying is enough for a pyramidal tent; smaller 
tents and bed nets require smaller amounts. Larger amounts do not 
increase effectiveness and are wasteful. The dispenser should be 
carefully closed after using. In rear areas the hand sprayer will 
also be useful. Tents- and nets should be sprayed at dusk and be- 
fore going to bed. If bombing forces men to leave their nets, a 
supply of spray and repellent should be taken to the fox hole. All 
screened quarters should be sprayed regularly. The repellent 
activity of the Aerosol is of such low value that its use as a spray 
for clothing is unwarranted and wasteful. 
24. What is meant by "Man-Made Malaria"? 
Mosquito breeding requires water naturally present 
as ponds, swamps, and streams. In addition, men make many 
new breeding pools by driving jeeps and trucks all over a field 
or coconut grove, thus forming ruts and holes which fill with 
water. This is a part of what is called “Man-made Malaria”. 
Truck and jeep drivers should stay on roads and thus avoid 
making unnecessary ruts. 
25. Is it necessary to take care of your anti-mosquito 
equipment? 
Yes. Recently troops landed on a Jap island, in the 
dry season and found few mosquitoes and no malaria. Many 
of them concluded that the talk about malaria was overdone 
and some discarded their repellent. Meanwhile, increasing num- 
bers of mosquito larvae were found in water in ruts and holes, 
warning of malaria to come. What would have happened if 
6 these same troops had thrown away their guns and ammuni- 
tion because they did not meet the enemy during the first few 
days? 
26. Are native villages dangerous? 
Yes. Stay out of native villages after dark. Most na- 
tives in malarious places have malaria parasites in their blood, 
even if they look fairly healthy. The mosquitoes in such places 
are full of malaria. This is also true of captured enemy camps. 
When necessary to occupy these places, they should be sprayed 
frequently. 
Atabrine in small doses will postpone the chills and 
fever of malaria. But even large doses of this drug will not 
prevent the mosquito from infecting a man. Sometimes it is 
very necessary to keep fit in places where it is not possible to 
get sufficient protection from bed nets, clothing and repellents. 
Under these conditions, atabrine is taken in small doses to post- 
pone any attacks of chills and fever. When the mission is com- 
pleted, and the men return to a rear base, the atabrine doses 
are stopped. Then, in about ten days or so, if a man was bitten 
by an infected mosquito, the chills and fever will show up and 
he can be given a regular treatment in the hospital. Since the 
best hospital facilities for treating malaria are located at the 
rear bases, this postponing malaria until a man is back at such 
a base insures him of good medical care. 
27. What about taking atabrine to prevent malaria? 
28. Does atabrine always suppress symptoms of malaria? 
No. Even when atabrine is taken regularly a small 
percentage of troops during combat in a highly malarious area 
will develop symptoms of malaria each week. However, without 
atabrine, under similar conditions, a very high percentage de- 
velop symptoms each week. When this happens one or more 
of the following factors is usually responsible: not taking the 
atabrine regularly, unusual fatigue, or lack of sleep. 
29. Must all these things be done on every malarious 
island? 
No. The need for these measures differs on every 
island and changes from time to time on the same island. The 
only rule is that each man must know all the measures to pro- 
ject himself from malaria. On each island orders will be issued 
elling what measures are to be used. These measures are not 
•om x or difficult. They are simple and easy. 
7 30. Is all this talk about malaria Important? 
Yes. You can be as dead from malaria as from si •> 
nel. You can be made an invalid from malaria for prolonge< 
riods. Malaria can make you weak, puny and good for not 
Malaria in an army can spoil a campaign. This is fact, not fic 
The Japs know it and so do the Germans. They try to prc <"• 
malaria. Whenever they do a better job of malaria control u 
we do, they stand a good chance of winning a battle. In nii 
larious places it is just, as necessary to beat the mosquito as to 
beat the enemy. The mosquito’s brain is smaller than a pin- 
head. *We should be able to outsmart a mosquito if we use the 
brains we were born with. 
8