Frankston RSL Sub Branch
Tablets, Atabrine, ca 1940s
Unusual World War ll souvenir consisting of a small bottle containing a number of "Atabrine" tablets which has been mounted on a wooden base. These were originally issued to RAAF Leading Aircraftman, Frederick Charles Carey, service number 116991.
"Atabrine" was extensively used as a preventative measure to protect servicemen serving in tropical areas from Malarial infection. "Atabrine" is a proprietary name for "Mepacrine" which was one of the first substitutes for "Quinine" a naturally occurring Malaria preventative. Larger doses of "Quinine" and "Atabrine" is also used to treat the effects of Malaria. The wooden base of this item has a label with the following inscription: "W.W.II ATABRINE", "THE S-W PACIFIC SERVICEMAN'S ANTI-MALARIAL TREATMENT", "F. CAREY", the bottle has a label with the following handwritten note: "Attabrine? tablets Malaria F Carey"tablet, atabrine, malaria, tropics, tropical, new guinea, papua