Anti-malaria drug Atabrine ad during WWII. Put up at the 363rd station hospital in Papua, New Guinea

Pretty morbid that the sign was specifically designed to have human skulls placed on top of it.

Turns out, malaria was pretty serious…

“Civil War: 1,200,000 cases 8,000 deaths.” (Source)

“WWI: Almost 5,000 cases with 7 deaths in US Navy and Marines; more than 100,000 cases in British and French soldiers.”

“WWII: 500,000 cases in US Army; more than 110,000 cases with 90 deaths in US Navy and Marines.” (Source)

“…during World War II, there were 113,256 new cases, 3,310,800 sick-days, and 90 deaths” (Source)

“…estimates from the Philippines in 1942 indicate that roughly 24,000 out of the 75,000 American and Filipino defenders were suffering from malaria at the time of the invasion.”

“If the malaria situation is not brought under control, the efficiency of the whole Army will be greatly impaired; in fact it will be unable to perform its combat functions. It is my candid and conservative opinion that if we do not secure a sufficient supply of quinine for our troops from front to rear that all other supplies we may get, with the exception of rations, will be of little or no value.” (Source)