On this day, 123 years ago, a 40 year old Almora born doctor made a discovery that changed the world. Malaria has killed more people in the history of mankind than any other cause. The disease literally means 'Mal air,' & was thought to be caused by bad air in swamps & marshes

Dr Ronald Ross's research indicated that it could be spread by mosquitoes. He infected mosquitoes with the parasite from a patient named Husein Khan for 8 annas & on 20 August 1897 he finally confirmed the presence of the malarial parasite inside the gut of mosquitos.

Though around 400,000 people die every year from malaria even now, Ross's discovery helped save millions of lives in the late 19th and early century. For this discovery, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1902