384 VETERINARY BACTERIOLOGY 



simulating a mycelial thread of one of the Hyphomycetes. The 

 cell differs from that of a bacterium by the presence of a definite 

 nucleus, which may be demonstrated by careful staining technic. 



Spores are produced by some yeasts when the cells are brought 

 under the right conditions of moisture, oxygen pressure, and 

 temperature. Generally, two, four, or six are produced within 

 a single cell. This type of spore formation relates such forms 

 definitely to the higher fungi, known as Ascomycetes or sac 

 fungi. In these fungi the spores are borne in sacs or asci (singular, 

 ascus), and the cell of the yeast, with its contained spores, is sup- 

 posed to represent a simple type of ascus. Resting cells, consist- 

 ing of heavily walled or encapsulated cells filled with protein, 

 glycogen, or oil-granules, are formed by many yeasts. These 

 granules may resemble spores, and have doubtless many times been 

 mistaken for them. When brought under favorable conditions 

 the cell, as a whole, begins again to produce buds, showing con- 

 clusively that the granules cannot be regarded as spores. 



Among the true yeasts, those which are not known to produce 

 spores are sometimes placed in the form genus Torula. It is not cus- 

 tomary to make this distinction among the pathogenic yeasts or 

 Blastomyces, although it has been attempted by some authors. 

 As here used, the term Blastomyces includes all those pathogenic 

 forms which reproduce regularly by budding, and may or may not 

 produce ascospores. 



The organisms belonging to this group are Blastomyces farci- 

 iti/nosus, B. dermatitidis, and B. coccidioides. 



Blastomyces farciminosus 



Synonyms. Cryptococcus farciminosus; Leishmania farci- 

 minosa. 



Disease Produced. Blastomycotic epizootic lymphangitis or 

 peeudofarcy in the horse. 



Rivolta, in 1873, first described the organism associated with 

 this disease. Tokoshige, in 1897, cultivated the organism and 

 determined its classification. It has been studied since that time 

 by several investigators. Galli-Valerio contends that this organ- 

 ism is a protozoan and not a Blastomyces. There is a clinically 

 similar disease, since described in Europe and the United States 



