Malaria

Plasmodium vivax

Malarial protozoa with long dormancy, mild symptoms

Plasmodium falciparum

Lethal malaria species; organ damage and brain infection

Duffy mutation

Genetic mutation common in West Africans; blocks P. vivax

Sickle cell trait

Provides protection from P. falciparum (heterozygous form)

Cinchona

Andean tree; source of quinine

Quinine

First effective malaria treatment; became imperial tool

Robert Talbor

Englishman who profited from secret quinine-based remedy

Dutch monopoly

Controlled global quinine supply via Java

Chloroquine

Synthetic anti-malarial drug; WWII use, side effects

Charles Laveran

Discovered Plasmodium in 1880 in Algeria

Ronald Ross

Proved mosquito transmission; promoted vector eradication

Pontine Marshes

Wetlands drained by Italian public health officials

Sardinia Campaign

U.S.-led DDT effort during Cold War to fight malaria

DDT

Insecticide; used in eradication campaigns; now restricted

Rockefeller Foundation

Funded Cold War-era malaria eradication programs

Rachel Carson

Author of Silent Spring; criticized DDT use

WHO 1955 Campaign

Global eradication attempt using DDT; ultimately failed

Malaria Eradication

Failed due to resistance, poverty, poor infrastructure

“Silent Spring”

Book exposing pesticide risks and medical hubris

Environmental Racism

Unequal exposure to environmental harms (e.g., DDT in Global South)