DENGUE IN INDO-CHINA: EPIDEMIC ON BOARD THE 



"MANCHE."^ 



By J. J. Vassai, and A. Beochet. 

 (From the Pasteur Institute, Nhatrang, Annum. 



An eiDidemic prevailed in May, June, and July, 1907, on the advice- 

 transpoi't La Manche of the French navy, which was off the coast of 

 Indo-China doing hydrographic work. There were 108 Europeans on 

 board; 94 were affected and 2 died. This epidemic was one of those 

 which are described in Indo-China under the name of dengue, but it 

 seemed to us that it was distinguished from the classic dengue by some 

 peculiarities. 



One of us was surgeon on board the Manche and therefore was able to 

 follow the epidemic closely and to note all the features and symptoms as 

 they appeared, including those on himself. Together we witnessed the 

 principal phases of the malady which took place during our sojourn in 

 the waters of Nhatrang. 



Circumstances did not permit us to make an experimental investiga- 

 tion of the disease, but our bacteriologic verifications and our blood 

 analyses will not be useless for the discussion of the diagnosis and for 

 further researches which we hope to pursue on dengue. 



In the following paper these researches are divided in the following 

 manner : 



(1) History of the epidemic on the Manche and similar forms of 

 dengue in Indo-China; (2) etiology; (3) immunity; (4) symptoma- 

 tology; (5) diagnosis; (6) treatment; (7) conclusion. 



HISTORY. 



The facts in regard to the epidemic on the Manche will first be given, 

 then those which have been observed previously on the same boat, and 

 finally the forms of dengue of Indo-China, about which local archives and 

 different publications might be able to furnish us with details, will be 

 discussed. 



The Manche is a wooden vessel of 1,025 tons, formerly employed in cruises 

 in the regions of Iceland and Newfoundland. She came into China Sea for the 



^ Read by Abstract at the 5th Annual Meeting of the Philippine Islands Medical 

 Association, February 29, 1908. 



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