Article ID: CBB001422433

U.S. Military Administration's Malaria Control Activities (1945--1948) (2015)

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Yeo, I. S. (Author)


Korean Journal of Medical History
Volume: 24, no. 1
Issue: 1
Pages: 35-65


Publication Date: 2015
Edition Details: [Translated title.] In Korean.
Language: Korean

To prevent and control infectious diseases was one of the major concerns of U.S. military government when they stationed in Korea in 1945. It was because the spread of various infectious diseases can cause social unrest and they can also affect the U.S. military. Malaria was one of the most important infectious diseases to which the U.S. military had been paying special attention. The U.S. military received a severe damage during the Pacific war with Japan due to malaria. It was said that more soldiers were lost by malaria than by battle itself. The bitter experience they had during the war made them accumulate more systematic and practical knowledge against malaria. As a result, by the end of the war, the U.S. military could run more than hundreds of units specialized in controlling malaria. Thanks to such a preparation, they could immediately begin their anti-malaria activities in Korea soon after the World War II. Although the vivax malaria, which is the dominant type in Korea, is not as much a fatal type as that in the Pacific areas, it was damaging enough to the infected. The 207th Malaria Survey Detachment carried out collecting and identifying the kinds of mosquitos in Korea. In addition, they also surveyed the prevalence of malaria among school children in Seoul. In terms of controlling malaria, DDT played a decisive role. Vector control is the most effective and ideal measurements against malaria. Before the development of DDT, it was practically impossible to eradicate mosquitos which arise from extremely broad areas. However, DDT could not be used as it had been expected in the rural area, because spraying DDT in the rice paddies which is the breeding place of mosquitos kills rice. Despite such a limitation in anti-malaria activities of the US military government, it should be noted that a significant turn in controlling malaria was possible thanks to the development of DDT.

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Citation URI
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Authors & Contributors
Bollyky, Thomas J.
O'Shaughnessy, Patrick T.
Rachel Kahn Best
Kim, Y.
Lee, S. H.
Khan, Shalini H. N.
Concepts
Public health
Infectious diseases
Disease and diseases
Prevention and control of disease
Malaria
Tuberculosis
Time Periods
20th century
21st century
20th century, late
20th century, early
19th century
18th century
Places
United States
Korea
Great Britain
Africa
Ethiopia
Republic of Liberia
Institutions
World Health Organization (WHO)
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