Malaria

[BillyH]

Could anyone please tell me in which countries soldiers could have contracted malaria in WW1?

I am specifically querying Gallipoli, Egypt, and Mesopotamia.

BillyH.

[seaJane]

A definite yes to all those three.

It could also be contracted, in smaller numbers but given the right conditions, on the Western Front, if men with the infection already in their bloodstream had been posted there from an infected area - the local mosquito population would then pick it up and pass it on. The marshes of the Po delta in Italy were also notoriously malarial.

[BillyH]

I was thinking of you when I posted that one Jane!

It took you all of 4 minutes to answer though!

Thanks a lot, BillyH.

[centurion]

It was a major problem in Salonika and in East Africa and I believe there were some cases in Italy

[seaJane]

It took you all of 4 minutes to answer though!

That was the proof-reading...

[T8HANTS]

It was very rife, althrough Palestine.

G

[centurion]

Also Togoland and the Cameroons and it was a risk in the Dofar

[hazelclark]

Quite a lot of the men who went directly to France from India were carrying malaria and according to the Medical Files for the Indian Divisions they had to obtain large quantities of quinine.

Hazel

[CarylW]

I wondered with so many cases of malaria brought from various theatres to be treated on Malta, if there were any outbreaks there because of this, and it looks as though while it wasn't endemic, there were a few local small outbreaks. One example were farmers working near the hospital

http://maltaramc.com/ramcoff/1910_1919/ramcoff1918.html

[centurion]

I wondered with so many cases of malaria brought from various theatres to be treated on Malta, if there were any outbreaks there because of this, and it looks as though while it wasn't endemic, there were a few local small outbreaks. One example were farmers working near the hospital

http://maltaramc.com/ramcoff/1910_1919/ramcoff1918.html

Malaria was once endemic to Malta - It was a problem for the Knights of St John and for the Turkish besiegers in the 16th Century. Look at a map Malta is a nexus forshipping routes from many theatres of war where Malaria was a problem.

[CarylW]

I know Centurion, I meant during the Great War. I don't need to look at a map and did say 'with so many cases of malaria brought from various theatres' I'm currently looking into the Macedonian campaign and the 2nd Bn East Yorkshire regiment time in Salonika.

I also came across an article ( and I'll need to backtrack via Google and post it up) of a study that Malta had been through various stages of history, free of the type of mosquito that carries malaria

[Sue Light]

The account I have on my website says that Malta was entirely free of malaria during the Great War except for the incoming sick from various theatres of war.

Sue

[centurion]

The Medical History: Casualties and Medical Statistics lists the incidence of malaria as follows:

France & Flanders 9,022 cases

Italy 279

Macedonia 162,517

Dardanelles 1,473

Egypt and Palestine 40,144

Mesopotamia 59,353

North Russia 35

East Africa 214,764

South-west Africa 518

United Kingdom 9,495

One questions the efficiency of the antimalarial measures used at the time...

There were no really effective antimalarial measures at the time other than attempting to ensure that you weren't bitten by a female mosquito. There still aren't really. There were and are prophylactics and at that time the only one was quinine. This works because it is a poison which kills red blood cells. If you take enough but no too much it kills mainly weakened red blood cells which tend to to be the ones already infected by the malaria parasite. Take too much and you are into leukaemia territory. Unless taken in very small quantities with gin or vodka it tastes foul which is why there were quinine parades with an NCOs ensuring that everyone took it. Even then you could (and still can) get it but it might not show up for a multiple of 28 days (the life cycle of the parasite) after you'd been bitten so that you could be in a different theatre of war by then. I got mine in Nigeria but went down in Brighton! There is hope now of a vaccine - there has been hope of a vaccine for decades - just different vaccines

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Billy

As MrSwan has pointed out, malaria was a serious problem in Macedonia, with a number of isolation and convalescent camps around the base at Salonika.

Ron

[CarylW]

The account I have on my website says that Malta was entirely free of malaria during the Great War except for the incoming sick from various theatres of war.

Sue

Thanks Sue. That was what I was wondering about.

CarylW,

If its the Macedonian campaign you are looking at, I can break down the figures further:

1916 32,018

1917 71,412

1918 59,087

Apparently this works out at 403.58 cases per 1,000 men annually.

Thanks for this

[centurion]

CarylW,

If its the Macedonian campaign you are looking at, I can break down the figures further:

1916 32,018

1917 71,412

1918 59,087

Apparently this works out at 403.58 cases per 1,000 men annually.

One of whom was my G G Uncle serving as a Sergeant in the RE. The problem with malaria was that it didn't kill that many (dysentery was a much bigger killer) but because it can be a recurrent disabling illness it can render a man unfit for service for a long period but still draining medical resources and still needing feeding. They shipped my G G Uncle home with a stop in Malta because the next bout occurred when the ship was there. He survived until the 1920s but it's probably what finally killed him.

[centurion]

The account I have on my website says that Malta was entirely free of malaria during the Great War except for the incoming sick from various theatres of war.

Sue

This is incorrect - Malaria carrying mosquitos were not eliminated from the island until 1943 when the last breeding areas were drained

[Stoppage Drill]

Also Togoland and the Cameroons and it was a risk in the Dofar

Malaria is certainly a risk in Dhofar due to the metereological conditions during the Kharif, but what happened there in WW1 ?

[CarylW]

This is incorrect - Malaria carrying mosquitos were not eliminated from the island until 1943 when the last breeding areas were drained

If you could possibly post a source for this, it might be useful for comparison. I understand the account mentioned by Sue can be found here on her website and was written by medical professionals of the time

http://www.scarletfinders.co.uk/190.html

[Sue Light]

This is incorrect - Malaria carrying mosquitos were not eliminated from the island until 1943 when the last breeding areas were drained

I stated 'The account I have on my website says that Malta was entirely free of malaria during the Great War except for the incoming sick from various theatres of war.'

That was quite correct - I do, and it does. Whether you agree with it, or can search the web for something contradict it, is another question entirely.

The climate is on the whole excellent, and English residents are often met with who have enjoyed robust health in Malta without a holiday for many years. A great advantage also is the complete absence of local malaria.

MILITARY HOSPITALS IN MALTA DURING THE WAR

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THEIR INCEPTION AND DEVELOPMENT

By G. R. Bruce, M.A., M.D., D.P.H., Capt. R.A.M.C. (S.R.), Specialist Sanitary Officer, Malta

[Guest]

Perhaps a more useful way of comparing the impact that Malaria had in different theatres is to use the official Medical Services tables which measured Malaria (and other causes of admissions to hospital) as a ratio per 1,000 of Strength. East Africa stands out as the worst theatre for Malaria on this measure

Theatre.............................1915..............1916.........1917...........1918........Ave for campaign

Egypt & Palestine..................-..................7.57........45.46........130.86...........60.29

Mesopotamia (British).....353.37..........110.29.........85.47........101.39.........100.63

Mesopotamia (Indian).......96.28............99.36.........39.77..........34.71...........48.0

East Africa ...........................-...........1,039.11.....1,422.84.........55.9..............NA

Macedonia..........................-...............259.48.......391.12........258.94..........403.58

Dardanelles.....................12.58......................................................................12.58

South West Africa.............15.7.......................................................................15.7

Malaria was cited as the greatest cause of non-battle casualties in Macedonia and in East Africa. A cursory glance at the Pension tables also shows that outside wounds and amputations , malaria was the single largest cause for first awards under the medical pensions.

Source: Various tables in the History of the great War: Medical Services: Casualties and Medical Statistics by Maj T J Mitchell 1931.

Any mistakes are mine. MG

[centurion]

I stated 'The account I have on my website says that Malta was entirely free of malaria during the Great War except for the incoming sick from various theatres of war.'

That was quite correct - I do, and it does. Whether you agree with it, or can search the web for something contradict it, is another question entirely.

The climate is on the whole excellent, and English residents are often met with who have enjoyed robust health in Malta without a holiday for many years. A great advantage also is the complete absence of local malaria.

MILITARY HOSPITALS IN MALTA DURING THE WAR

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THEIR INCEPTION AND DEVELOPMENT

By G. R. Bruce, M.A., M.D., D.P.H., Capt. R.A.M.C. (S.R.), Specialist Sanitary Officer, Malta

I stated 'The account I have on my website says that Malta was entirely free of malaria during the Great War except for the incoming sick from various theatres of war.'

That was quite correct - I do, and it does. Whether you agree with it, or can search the web for something contradict it, is another question entirely.

The climate is on the whole excellent, and English residents are often met with who have enjoyed robust health in Malta without a holiday for many years. A great advantage also is the complete absence of local malaria.

MILITARY HOSPITALS IN MALTA DURING THE WAR

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THEIR INCEPTION AND DEVELOPMENT

By G. R. Bruce, M.A., M.D., D.P.H., Capt. R.A.M.C. (S.R.), Specialist Sanitary Officer, Malta

Not me googling but an official Maltese government report I'all post chapter and verse when I'm back on my desktop tomorrow. I have to say I find your attitude unfortunate.

[Guest]

The problem with malaria was that it didn't kill that many (dysentery was a much bigger killer)

Centurion - I'm afraid the stats disagree on the absolute numbers for Macedonia (whole campaign) which I assume is the Theatre you are referring to ..... and in the areas where malaria was the biggest problem, not surprisingly malaria was the bigger killer. Only in the Dardanelles (where malaria was a small issue) and Mesopotamia was dysentery a bigger killer in absolute terms.

The numbers of deaths from dysentery and malaria in other theatres are extremely small in absolute numbers and as a % of admissions and % of strength. It was the debilitation from both that was the real problem.

Deaths from...............................Dysentery........Malaria

Macedonia......................................480...............737

Mesopotamia. (1917)......................286...............118 [Edit: The tables for 1916,17 and 18 all show deaths for both but the summary tables shows zero...which is an interesting concept]

Egypt & Palestine (1916-18)...........484...............854

East Africa (1916-18)......................805...............831....Note figures for Troops only. Figures for Followers are much higher, particularly for dysentery which may reflect poorer hospital facilities for followers.

Dardanelles.....................................811................5

Over all theatres dysentery was a marginally bigger killer, but not in the areas where malaria was the biggest problem. I would say the two ailments killed roughly similar numbers This all assumes of course that dysentery was correctly diagnosed. The stats for enteric fever are disturbingly large in some Theatres along with 'inflammation of the intestines' adding some 400 deaths in the Dardanelles for example.

MG

Source: History of the Great War: Medical Services: Casualties and Medical Statistics by Maj T J Mitchell 1931. various tables.

[Sue Light]

Not me googling but an official Maltese government report I'all post chapter and verse when I'm back on my desktop tomorrow. I have to say I find your attitude unfortunate.

I'm sorry that you find my attitude unfortunate. You made an ambiguous statement about what I had said and what I had posted. I replied pointing out that what I had posted was quite correct, whether or not you agreed with it. You are a great example of the male dinosaurs of this forum who cannot bear to be contradicted about anything, let alone by one of the few women who continue to post here against all the odds.

Sue

[Stoppage Drill]

I stated 'The account I have on my website says that Malta was entirely free of malaria during the Great War except for the incoming sick from various theatres of war.'

That was quite correct - I do, and it does. Whether you agree with it, or can search the web for something contradict it, is another question entirely.

The climate is on the whole excellent, and English residents are often met with who have enjoyed robust health in Malta without a holiday for many years. A great advantage also is the complete absence of local malaria.

MILITARY HOSPITALS IN MALTA DURING THE WAR

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THEIR INCEPTION AND DEVELOPMENT

By G. R. Bruce, M.A., M.D., D.P.H., Capt. R.A.M.C. (S.R.), Specialist Sanitary Officer, Malta

Sue, I guess Captain Bruce MUST have been related (son ?) to the great Sir David ?