Monilia Candida, Robin (1847). 



THRUSH FUNGUS; OIDIUM ALBICANS, SACCHAROMYCES ALBICANS; 

 MUGUET (Fr.); SOORPILZ (Germ.). 



ORIGIN. Found in thrush on the mucous membrane in 

 the mouths of infants and of grown persons; also in air, in 

 milk, in barns; occurs as a white growth on cow-dung. It 

 may occasionally be found on mucous membrane other than 

 that of the mouth. 



FORM. Occupies an intermediate position between the 

 moulds and yeasts. On gelatin plates and on sugar media 

 it forms yeast-like cells (conidia), whereas in the deeper 

 part of a stab culture it forms mycelial threads. The 

 mycelial threads are developed best in the absence of sugar 

 and at a high temperature. 



ANILIN DYES. Stain readily. 



GROWTH. Is rapid and abundant. 



Plates. Snow-white, coarsely granular colonies form on gelatin 

 plates and no liquefaction takes place. 



Stab culture. In gelatin show a slight growth along the line of in- 

 oculation, while on the surface a milk-white, thick mass forms. 



Streak culture. On agar, forms a glistening, moist, thick, white 

 growth. On potato, it grows rapidly as a thick, white, yeast-like mass. 



OXYGEN REQUIREMENTS. It is an aerobe. 



TEMPERATURE. Grows, at the ordinary temperature; also 

 in the incubator at 40. 



BEHAVIOR TO GELATIN. It does not liquefy. 



PATHOGENESIS. Intravenous injection in rabbits pro- 

 duces death in 1-2 days; with very small doses death may 

 not result for a week or two. The internal organs are 

 sometimes permeated with a growth of long mycelial 

 threads. Under rare conditions it has been found in the 

 internal organs of man. When inoculated into the throat 

 of doves and chickens it produces a typical thrush-mem- 

 brane. Subcutaneous application of a few mg. will produce 

 death in white mice in 1-3 days. It has no effect on guinea- 

 pigs. The identity of Monilia Candida with thrush cannot be 

 said to be fully established. 



It ferments cane-sugar and maltose without previous 

 inversion, and in time may give rise to about 5 per cent, of 

 alcohol. 



402 



