Customer Reviews

Classic Malaria Films DVD: 1940s Malaria Disease Symptoms & Treatments History Films

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"Historic Malaria Films" is a composite of two old films: "Malaria" (1944) and "Criminal at Large" (1945) converted to DVD format and released in 2007 by Quality Information Publishers.

As with all old film-to-video transfers, the sound quality that was on the old 8 or 16 mm films is not high fidelity, often with scratchy sound and with some video streaking, all of which is unavoidable.

"Malaria" (12 minutes) presents an image of poor rural life in the early 1900s, consisting of all still views. The wood houses and porches are reminiscent of the classic Depression-era photos of Dorothea Lange. Today, few people realize that malaria was a serious infectious disease of the South extending slightly above the Mason-Dixon line and over to southern Missouri and Kansas. Folk songs briefly reinforce the atmosphere set by the primitive message format. After field work is finished and the sun sets, the "malaria hours" (first few hours after dark) arrive. Diagrams distinguish the anopheline mosquito (tail up) from the other mosquitoes (tail down) that do not carry malaria. Symptoms are described, emphasizing how malaria "runs down"the health of the farmer, the family, the farm, the neighborhood. A doctor makes a house call and a blood sample is shown; medicines of the time are quinine and atabrine. Importance of mosquito netting is stressed. A health officer is shown recommending screens for windows, drainage of ponds, use of dusts and oils. Brief view of larvae. Today, malaria is rare in the United States. This video provides some insight into the different conditions rural folks endured. Hopefully it will make some viewers thankful for our lack of malaria, which is due to many factors including modern home design, landscaping, reduction of rural populations, and factors not addressed in this film.

"Criminal at Large" (12 minutes) will appear contrived to a modern audience. Again, it is all still illustrations (many in color) presenting a plot of a new reporter looking for a murderess named "Anna awful" (a play on "Anopheles"). Ponds preferred to the small pools used by other mosquitoes. Diagrams of anatomy with labels (made for film projection on bigger screens) will appear small on TV. Mosquito life cycle, feeding, and photos of larvae and pupae; how to distinguish male from female, and why only female feeds. Some drawn illustrations are anthropomorphic. Produced by the Office of Malaria Control in War Areas.

John Richard Schrock