270 Transactions of the 



II. — On some Microscopic Leaf Fungi from the Himalayas. 



By Joseph Flemeng, M.D., F.E.C.S., Surgeon Army 

 ]\Iedical Department. 



{Bead he/ore the Eotal Microscopical Society, Nov. 4, 1874.) 



Tlate LXXXVI. 



Some years ago, wlien the supposed fungoid origin of disease drew 

 the attention and observation of many practical physicians and 

 scientific men to that subject, more so perhaps than at the present 

 time, I was led — no doubt as many other observers were — in the 

 course of certain special investigations in India to make the 

 acquaintance, though shght and for the first time, of that inter- 

 esting and not generally known department of cryptogamic botany. 

 Though not at any time successful in associating for certainty the 

 presence of undoubted fungi with constitutional or epidemic disease, 

 it frequently happened, as other observers both at home and abroad 

 have noted, that certain forms were seen both in the human subject 

 and in some of the lower animals while in perfect health. 



However, in the present state of the question I would not 

 pretend to affirm that many specific and constitutional diseases in 

 man and animals are not caused by the presence of fungi or their 

 sporidia in the body ; and I cannot but believe that as our know- 

 ledge of them increases, and with the assistance of the higher 

 magnifying powers, in conjunction with a careful co-relative 

 analyses of symptoms, secretions, excretions, &c., we ultimately 

 shall be able to say to what extent certain diseases may be owing 

 to the lower forms of animal or vegetable life. I know the subject 

 is a difficult one, and nowadays it must be confessed there are few 

 men qualified for such investigations, simply because there are less 

 material inducements than there ought to be, and hence men specu- 

 late and invent new theories, which are often more convenient and 



DESCKIPTION OP PLATE LXXXVI. 



Figs. 1 and 2. — Uromyces ambiens, on leaf of Himalayan box. 

 Fig. 3. — Trichobasis sp. 



„ 4. — Lower corner of leaf. 

 Figs. 5 and 6. — Probably Urcdo clematidis. 

 Fig. 7. — Part of leaf, with Uredo jnmctoidea. 



„ 8. — Spores of Uredo punctoidea. 



„ 9. — Cells of Septotrichum. 



„ 10. — Probably Volutella or Vermicularia. 



„ IL — Spores of Coleosporium pingue [?]. 

 Figs. 12 and 13. — Part of leaf, with spores of Pucdnia dissiliens. 



„ 14 and 15. — Part of leaf, with spores of Puccinia criiciferarum. 

 Fig. 16. — Spores of P. vmhcUifcrarum. 



„ 17.— Erincum [deformed cells]. 



