354 CLINICAL BACTERIOLOGY. 



and in stab-cultures whitish-yellow granules that send 

 radiating processes into the nutritive medium. Upon agar 

 a whitish-yellow, wrinkled deposit forms ; upon potatoes a 

 dense, white coating, and upon bread-pap a thin, white de- 

 posit. The temperature-optimum is 37 C. (98.6 F.). 



It has been demonstrated experimentally that the thrush- 

 fungus is the actual cause of thrush. It has been possible 

 to develop thrush upon healthy mucous membranes both 

 by means of the bands of buds, and with the filamentous 

 cells. Rabbits die in from twenty-four to forty -eight hours 

 after intravenous injection of emulsions of the thrush- 

 fungus, a general mycosis resulting, and networks of 

 thrush-vegetations being found in the kidneys, the liver, etc. 

 (G. Klemperer). This pathogenic action of the thrush- 

 fungus is, however, not constant. 



The diagnosis of thrush is made by microscopic exami- 

 nation of the thrush-deposit ; cultivation of the fungus is 

 not necessary. 



ACTINOMYCOSIS. 



The actinomycosis of animals was recognized as a dis- 

 tinct disease in 1877 by Bellinger, and in its lesions pecu- 

 liar vegetable structures (actinomyces, ray-fungus) were 

 invariably found. 



Actinomycosis is a disease peculiar to cattle, having been but 

 seldom observed in other animals (swine, dogs). The usual 

 seat of the disease in cattle is the lower jaw, less commonly the 

 upper jaw, or also the adjacent soft parts, especially the tongue. 

 The disease of the jaws leads to the formation of tumors of 

 greater or less extent, which subsequently rupture outward 

 through the skin, less commonly into the mouth, and thus come 

 into view as ulcerated nodules. On section the tumor appears 

 pale yellow ; it is in general soft, but presents, in places, espe- 

 cially softened, yellowish areas of varying size, from which on 

 scraping with the knife a substance resembling pus and numerous 

 yellowish granules as large as grains of sand are obtained. 

 Examined microscopically the tumor-mass represents granulation- 

 tissue; the yellow coloration is dependent upon abundant fatty 

 degeneration of the cellular elements. The essential feature and 

 the peculiar characteristic of the actinomycotic nature of the new- 

 formation consist in the yellow granules present, the so-called 

 actinomyces-granules, to whose structure reference will be made 

 later. These are fungous formations, and represent the cause 



