126 UNIVERSITY OP WISCONSIN STUDIES 



sporotrichosine than before the iodide had been administered 

 to them. In either case the dermal reaction measured from 

 5 to 15 mm. whereas the sporotrichosine reaction in the patient 

 measured 5 to 7 cm. 



While, therefore, a striking reaction may be elicited in these 

 cases with sporotrichosine, it probably cannot be considered 

 sufficiently specific to be of value for differentiating these or- 

 ganisms. But it is to be noted that patients taking or not 

 taking potassium iodide may react intradermally to these 

 various strains of sporotricha and not to strains of blastomy- 

 ces prepared in exactly the same way. Whether or not all 

 cases will so react we do not know. 



SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION 



It appears that the first case of sporotrichosis was reported 

 by Schenck in 1898. The second case was reported in 1900 

 by Hektoen and Perkins and the organism definitely identified 

 by comparison with that isolated by Schenck. Hektoen named 

 the organism Sporothrix schenckii. 



In 1903 de Beurmann and Gougerot reported the first case 

 in France and the organism was named by Matruchot and 

 llamond Sporotrichum ~beurmanni. The work of the Ameri- 

 can investigators published several years previously was not 

 known to the French workers. 



On comparing the American strain sent to them by Hek- 

 toen in 1906, seven years after its isolation, de Beurmann and 

 Gougerot pointed out certain differences between this strain 

 and their recently isolated strain. They noted certain differ- 

 ences also between their own strains (strains a, b, c) but con- 

 tended that these difference were not sufficient to justify cre- 

 ating a new species. But the differences between their strains 

 and Sporotrichum scJienckii were sufficient, they contended; 

 to justify a new species. The organisms, isolated later in 

 North America and those found in South America and in 

 Madagascar, they claim are the same as their organism, Sporo- 

 trichum beurmanni. These were all isolated after they dis- 

 covered and named the organism in France. 



