546 TRICHOMYCETES, ACTINOMYCETES, HYPHOMYCETES 



and particularly in those who prespire freely. The tuberculous and 

 diabetics are not infrequently infected. The disease is characterized 

 by the development of light brown or yellow patches which are not 

 noticeably raised above the surrounding surface; these patches are 

 irregular in outline and tend to spread and coalesce. 



The inciting organism, Microsporon furfur, was described in 1846 

 by Eichstedt. The organism resembles the Achorion schonleinii 

 rather closely. It occurs in abundance in the scales where the relatively 

 short, thick, septate hyphse surrounded by large groups of spores 

 are quite characteristic. The hyphse measure from 3 to 4 microns 

 in diameter and the spores are frequently observed to be enclosed in 

 a spirally coiled covering. They measure about 3 to 6 microns in 

 diameter. 



Cultivation of the organism upon artificial media is accomplished 

 with difficulty and glycerin media are best adapted for this purpose. 

 The colonies are very minute 0.5 to 1 mm. in diameter. They are 

 white or brownish and tend to spread over the medium. The hyphae 

 are usually definitely curved and the ends are somewhat club shaped. 

 The spores occur in masses very similar in arrangement to those 

 observed in the scale itself. Cultures rubbed into an epilated area on 

 the back of rabbits may induce the characteristic colored patches if 

 the inoculated area is protected with a thick covering to induce 

 hyperemia. 



Thrush or Soor. Thrush is primarily a localized disease of the 

 mouth, occurring chiefly in weakly children. It has also been found 

 in the vagina of pregnant women and in adults suffering from severe 

 nutritional disturbances, diabetes and typhoid fever. The early 

 lesion is a small white plaque which has a velvety appearance, differing 

 in this respect from the pseudomembrane of diphtheria and from the 

 gray throat of scorbutus. The plaque is made up of epithelial cells 

 overgrown with the organism. The lesion may spread to the larynx 

 and esophagus and lead to a generalized fatal infection. Usually, 

 however, the prognosis is favorable. 



The organism, Oidium albicans, was described by Langenbeck in 

 1839, but it was first successfully cultured by Grawitz in 1871. The 

 classification of Oidium albicans is not clear, for the organism grows 

 both as a yeast and produces mycelia and spores. The yeast-like 

 cells are oval or round, measuring about 4 to 6 microns in diameter, 

 and they frequently form buds precisely like true yeasts. They 

 stain mahogany brown with strong Gram's solution. The mycelia 



