Other Diseases Transmitted by Insects 169 



this disease, but quite recently a French physician, 

 who has been conducting a long series of experi- 

 ments in the Society Islands, announced that he is 

 able to cure many cases by certain surgical opera- 

 tions on the affected parts. 



DENGUE OR " BREAKBONE FEVER 99 



This is another disease of the tropics often occur- 

 ring in widespread epidemics. It is probably most 

 frequently met with in the West Indies, but may 

 occur in any of the tropical countries or islands. 

 Occasionally it spreads into subtropical or even 

 temperate regions. Several extensive epidemics 

 have occurred in the United States. Once intro- 

 duced into a community it spreads very rapidly 

 and nothing seems to confer immunity. 



The various names by which it has been called 

 well describe its effect on the patient; breakbone 

 fever, dandy-fever, stiff-necked or giraffe-fever, 

 boquet (or " bucket") fever, scarlatina rheumatica, 

 polka-fever, etc. While the suffering is intense as 

 long as the disease lasts it seldom terminates 

 fatally. 



It has always been classed as a very contagious 

 disease and it has not yet been definitely shown 

 that it is not. Recent observations, however, have 

 shown that it is probably caused by a certain 



