ON THE ETIOLOGY OF MADUUA-FOOT. 265 



in the descriptive text^ attached to the plate, supplies us with 

 a key : the objects depicted are referred to as representing 

 *' a fragment of the new growth as this appeared upon a 

 specimen of the foot disease placed in water to macerate," 

 and a very good representation it is of " fragments " which 

 may very frequently be obtained in some specimens of tank 

 water in Avhich, however, no diseased foot need necessarily 

 have been macerated. 



Looking at the drawing, without reference to the text, we 

 should describe the objects as being, probably, some con- 

 fervoid growths, and the " spore-capsule," filled with pink- 

 coloured globules, as the encysted gonidium of some Alga, 

 not very unlike the gonidia of Pandorina, as figured in late 

 editions of the ' Micrographic Dictionary,' or Pritchard's 

 ' Infusoria.' To the Alga articles and plates of either of 

 these volumes, or, better still, to some neighbouring tank at 

 certain seasons of the year, we refer our readers for further 

 explanation concerning the objects figured in this plate. 



It is with much regret that we write in this manner con- 

 cerning any of the labours of so industrious and accomplished 

 an observer as Dr. Carter is known to be, but, when we find 

 a doctrine, which we believe to be altogether erroneous — 

 the result of a misinterpretation of microscopic appearances — 

 used by men of eminence (Avho themselves may not have the 

 opportunity, or "possess the special training, necessary for this 

 particular branch of study) as a basis upon which to found 

 the etiology of other diseases, we feel that the time has 

 arrived for giving free expression to our opinion regarding it. 



Note by the Rev. M. J. Berkeley. 



It must be presumed that the writer in the ' Indian 

 Medical Gazette,' who has attacked Dr. Carter with reference 

 to the fungous origin of the formidable disease known as the 

 Fungus-foot of India, is not acquainted Avith the botanical 

 articles on the subject in the ' Intellectual Observer ' for 

 November, 1862, or more especially in the ' Journal of the 

 Linnean Society,' vol. viii, ]). 139, even supposing that he 

 had an intimate knoAvledge of fungi, or he could not at once 

 condemn Dr. Carter for considering Chionyphe Carteri as a 

 fungus rather than an alga. I must, hoAvever, take the 

 Avhole responsibility on myself, as I consider myself justified 

 after a most careful consideration of the subject, in confirming 

 Dr. Carter's views. I have given in detail an account of 

 the points of resemblance between the Chionyphe and certain 

 Saprolegnia, and the reasons Avhich induce me to consider 



