230 



ESSENTIALS OF BACTERIOLOGY 



softening, purulent collections form, and the normal structure 

 is destroyed. 



The usual seat is in the maxillary bones, but the fungus has 

 been found in the lungs, tonsils, intestines, and various other 

 organs in man and cattle. 



Examination. Well seen in the unstained condition. From 



the pus or scraping a small 

 portion is taken and 

 squeezed upon the glass 

 slide; if calcareous matter 

 is present, a drop of nitric 

 acid will dissolve this. 



Glycerin will preserve the 

 preparation. 



Staining. Cover -glass 

 specimens stained best 

 by Gram's method. Tissue 

 sections should be stained 

 as follows: 



Ziehl's carbol-fuchsin, ten 

 minutes. Rinse in water. 



Concentrated alcoholic 

 solution of picric acid, five 

 minutes. Rinse in water. 



Alcohol, 50 per cent., 

 fifteen minutes. Alcohol 

 absolute, clove-oil, balsam. 

 The rays stained red, the 

 tissue yellow. 



Streptothrix Madurae 

 (Vincent). Origin. 

 Found in the disease known 



as Madura foot, or mycetoma, an ulceration affecting the 

 feet, especially of individuals living in the tropics. Two 

 varieties, the pale and the black, have been described. 



Form. Branched filaments resembling the actinomyces 

 Streptothrix. In the mycelia spores are seen (Fig. 114). 



* j 



Fig. 114. Streptothrix Madurae 

 in a section of diseased tissue (Vin- 

 cent). 



