ut to natives in malarial
districts in large quantities, free of charge, and natives are not great
believers in medicine. The tablets are extremely hard and insoluble.
Prolonged exposure to the action of dilute mineral acids produces no
effect on them. We had, for the men, quinine parades, when five grains
were swallowed as a prophylactic against malaria every day. They were
amusing affairs to watch--serried ranks with water-bottles, standing to
attention while the sergeant dispenser walked with proper dignity down
the line handing a pink tablet to each man, who gulped it spasmodically,
took a draught of water and returned to attention. It reminded one of a
religious ceremony, of some strange communion service. In giving the
quinine in large doses it was essential to dissolve it, if any effect
was aimed at. Even then it rarely produced symptoms of quinine
poisoning. The home preparations were more satisfactory to use. As
regards opium, it was useful, apart from sand-fly fever, in those
frayed, sleepless states of mind that prolonged heat induces. The
English idea that a dose of morphia or laudanum at once induces the
opium habit, though very safe, is not altogether sound. Other hypnotics
were usually not strong enough to give long sleep; but here, to produce
an effect with hypnotics, it seemed necessary to double the dose. This
may have had something to do with some deterioration in drugs caused by
the big demands of the war. But I do not think it was the only
explanation. Of course, for those who dreaded the use of opium, and
preferred chloral or bromide, it was only necessary to glance into the
tents where the Chinese carpenters slept at night. There one saw rows of
comatose figures and if you cared to lift the lips from the gums of
those sleepers, you would usually see a little sticky mass of opium
wedged in between the teeth. That was one way of solving the problem of
sand-flies and heat at night and no doubt an admirable illustration of
the dangers of the drug. But it is possible to find illustrations for
everything.

At Amara, paratyphoid A was commonest in the troops coming down from the
Front. It was not a very grave disorder, but sometimes, particularly
when complicated by other factors, it was fatal. It must be remembered
that many patients reached us as emaciated skeletons, in the last stage
of exhaustion. Special wards were set aside for typhoid cases. Dysentery
was also increasing, and wards were reserved f