FUNGI IMPERFECTI— THRUSH 303 



foals. The disease is fatal in many cases, some authors estimating the death 

 rate as high as 22 per cent. Inoculated guinea pigs show a rise in temperature 

 at first a lowering, accompanied by albuminaria, less of flesh, and diar- 

 rhoea, death occurring in from 2>-7 days. Immunity may be obtained in guinea 

 pigs by beginning with small doses, and increasing these gradually to three 

 times the strength. The product produced by the fungus is poisonous ; 20-40 cc. 

 of the whole substance will kill a guinea pig weighing one kilogram. 



Dr. Stuhr has contributed the following upon this subject: 



Thrush is a mycosis of the mouth affecting children, calves, foals, and poultry, and 

 is characterized by the formation of white patches upon the mucous membrane, which vary 

 in size from points to large areas. It may involve the pharyngeal and laryngeal mucosae 

 by extension. The disease is transmissable from man to animals. Young age, a weak con- 

 stitution, gastric indigestion, uncleanliness, milky and starchy diet predispose. Decaying 

 food in the mouth offers a suitable place for the growth of the fungus. 



Etiology. The specific cause of thrush is a vegetable parasite, Oidium 

 albicans, first described by Berg in 1840. It is one of the branching fungi 

 closely related to the yeasts and grows readily on sour milk, in saccharine 

 substances, on decayed wood, and on fresh cow manure. Calves fed milk from 

 wooden pails which are not kept perfectly clean are particularly liable to con- 

 tract the disease. The fungus descends into the epithelium and sometimes into 

 the subjacent connective tissue, causing inflammatory infiltration and superficial 

 necrosis. 



Sytnploiiis. The mucosa is difl:'usely red, swollen and tender, and shows 

 adherent white patches, varying in size, surrounded by a red inflammatory zone. 

 When these white spots are rubbed ofif, shallow red ulcers are exposed. When 

 the inflammation in the mouth is severe, or when the disease spreads to the 

 pharynx and interferes with deglutition the prognosis may become serious. 

 Usually, however, the disease is benign and yields readily to treatment. 



Lesions. These are usually superficially located and rarely extend deeply 

 into tissues. They begin with diffuse reddening of the mucous membrane and 

 the formation of a somewhat shining, slimy, adhesive layer of grayish-white 

 matter which is said to have an acid reaction. Later whitish dots appear upon 

 the surface and gradually spread, sometimes coalescing. These whitish patches 

 are false membranes composed of detached epithelial cells with a ramifying 

 network of parasitic threads. The white color of the false membranes is 

 markedly in contrast with the congested surrounding tissue. While the lesions 

 are ordinarily restricted to the mouth they may involve the pharynx, oesoph- 

 agus, (in chickens), larynx and even the stomach and intestines. Metastasis 

 may occur and the fungus be carried to various parts of the body. 



Treatment. This is aimed at the destruction of the fungus and for this 

 purpose many substances have been recommended. The mouth should be 

 cleansed at frequent intervals with solutions of borax, sodium h3'posulphite, 

 permanganate of potash, or chlorate of potash, etc. The system should be 

 built up by feeding soft nutritious food, and the sanitary conditions should 

 be improved. 



Oidium hominis. (Busse.) Pammel. Blastomycosis 



Cells spherical or ovoid, variable in culture, 8 M in diameter with strongly 

 refringent bodies ; in young cultures, nearly homogeneous and with oil drops ; 

 in old cultures, large cells with a thin membrane ; culture, at first white, then 

 grayish or yellowish, or yellowish-brown in plum cultures, in plum decoction 



