ACTINOMYCETES. 385 



produced by the parasite appears to be the development 

 of nodules of epithelial cells and of giant cells from the 

 tissues immediately about them. Later, suppuration of 

 the nodules and abscess formation occur. This in time 

 gives rise to excessive development of granulation and 

 connective tissue. 



ACTINOMYCES FARCiNicus (bacille du farcin des 

 boeuffs (Nocard) ; oospora farcinica ; actinomyces bovis 

 farcinicus). This organism was discovered by Nocard 

 (1888) in a disease of cattle that is suggestive of farcy 

 as seen in horses. The lesions consist of chains of en- 

 larged subcutaneous lymph-glands, which on examina- 

 tion are found to be in a condition somewhat simulating 

 tuberculosis. Similar nodules are sometimes encoun- 

 tered in the internal organs. 



By microscopic examination the organism is seen as 

 long, branching threads consisting of short segments. 



It is non-motile. Spore-formation is questionable, 

 Nocard having seen it, while Lehman and Neumann 

 have not. The organism may be stained by the ordi- 

 nary methods, and also by the Gram-Weigert process. 

 It grows on all the ordinary culture-media, and at both 

 room- and body-temperature, especially well at the 

 latter. It is aerobic. 



Colonies in agar-agar reach a size of from 1 to 2 mm. ; 

 are yellowish white in color, irregular in outline, and 

 have the appearance of a glazed, membranous mass. 



On gelatin, the growth is much slower, so that after 

 ten days the colonies appear as tiny translucent round 

 glistening points. Under low power of the micro- 

 scope these colonies are sharply circumscribed, grayish 

 or greenish in color, and are without characteristic 

 structure. 



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