A STUDY OF HEPATIC FUNCTION IN THERAPEUTIC MALARIA

An evaluation of hepatic function in 31 patients given therapeutic malaria was undertaken in this investigation. Lichtman¹ states that, although liver injuries developing in the course of tropical malaria are well known, little is known about the pathologic changes of the liver in inoculation malaria. He cites Materna's² 6 patients with dementia paralytica, given malarial therapy, in whom the main microscopic changes in the liver were extensive necrosis. Dattner³ states that the occasional icterus he has observed in therapeutic malaria patients is usually of the hemolytic type and rarely indicates damage to the liver parenchyma. He adds however that, if the icterus is accompanied by severe anorexia and vomiting, quinine must be given to the patient. Moore⁴ states that a mild jaundice occurs in about half of the patients treated and that it need not be feared. He, too, attributes the jaundice largely to the rapid