Meri + Malaria: Merilaria

I have Merilaria. Just yesterday I went for my first-ever malaria test. It was negative but I still feel sick. The picture below is a talking proof. What if I took the test too early (yesterday) and only later (today) malaria has erupted in my blood?

Currently reading Kapuscinsky's Ebene...now that I know he had cerebral malaria and survived it back in the early 60s, I do not see why my merilaria should get me any complications. After all, I am even taking the prophylaxis.



A Beninese friend had a bad cough and I asked him whether he felt like the beginning of a malaria episode. Asking for the state of your health is the most normal question over here (et alors la sante, ca va?, et la famille, ca va?). His answer was another surprise for somebody coming from Yovoland: when he feels malaria is attacking him, he boils quinine leaves into water, adds honey, lemon and sugar and drinks that for two or three days.

But quinine has more interesting and jovial applications...according to tradition, the bitter taste of anti-malarial quinine tonic led British colonials in India to mix it with gin, thus creating my favorite drink!