DISEASES OF UNKNOWN CAUSATION 
195 
Trachoma 
Trachoma, a dangerous disease of the lining of the 
eye (conjunctiva), is very common among the Indians 
and the poorer classes of some European countries. No 
specific organism has been discovered. 
In all these diseases strictest isolation and quarantine 
is necessary, as well as strict disinfection and fumiga¬ 
tion. 
Infantile Paralysis 
Infantile paralysis is called "acute anterior poliomye¬ 
litis. It is an infectious disease which has become a very 
serious menace, as some alarming epidemics have oc¬ 
curred within the last ten years. 
No definite organism has as yet been discovered, but 
some very promising work has been, and is being, done 
by Flexner, Rosenow, and others, and the near future 
will probably see the problem of this disease. 
Yellow Fever 
Yellow fever is an acute infectious disease, rare in this 
country, but prevalent in the tropics. It is transmitted 
by the variety of mosquito called Stegomyia fasciata; 
the organism causing it is unknown. The bulk of the 
work on yellow fever is a glorious chapter in American 
bacteriology. Reed, Carrol, Lazear, all of the United 
States Army, have solved the mystery of the transmis¬ 
sion of yellow fever, all three having sacrificed them¬ 
selves to the altar of science. The brilliant work of 
eradicating yellow fever in Panama is due to the pres¬ 
ent Surgeon-General of the United States Army, Gorgas, 
&nd is probably one of the most splendid prophylactic 
achievements in the world’s history. 
