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War Surgery and Medicine

Latent Cases

Latent Cases

The terms ‘primary’ and ‘readmission’ are self-explanatory, but the term ‘latent’ requires explanation. This term is only used in cases where parasites, usually very scanty, were found on routine examination of thick films in the complete absence of pyrexia or other clinical signs of malaria. It was the custom in the CCS and in most Field Ambulances to do routine smears on all patients admitted. Most of the latent cases were picked up in this way. Others were found in surveys of individual units. It is felt that if such patients had been kept on suppressive atebrin and not otherwise treated they would probably not have developed clinical malaria. In point of fact they were all treated as soon as parasites were discovered. In computing malaria rates these cases have not been included.