ACTINOMYCOSIS. 



631 



Attempts to place the actinomyces in a botanic 

 system have resulted in many differences of opin- 

 ion. By some investigators they are considered as 

 an independent family midway between the hy- 

 phomycetes and the schizomycetes (bacteria), oth- 

 ers place them under the hyphomycetes in the group 

 of the streptothrix, while still others consider them 

 as pleomorphous bacteria, placing them in the 

 group cladothrix. Petruschky recognizes acti- 

 nomyces, streptothrix, cladothrix and leptothrix as 

 genera in the family trichomyces, the latter belong- 

 ing to the order hyphomyces. Biological variations 

 which have been encountered have led to the rec- 

 ognition of several species of actinomyces, among 

 which are a number of non-pathogenic forms. 

 Wright limits the term actinomyces to those strains 

 which produce colonies of club-shaped organisms 

 in animal tissues. 



Many attempts have been made to transmit 

 actinomycosis to animals by inoculating them with 

 the diseased tissues of animals and man, and with 

 pure cultures obtained from these tissues. Al- 

 though a number of experimenters have reported 

 positive results, the attempts usually have been 

 fruitless. Probably Wright has been more success- 

 ful than others in producing actinomycotic lesions 

 in rabbits and guinea-pigs by the inoculation of 

 pure cultures. Colonies of club-shaped organisms 

 developed with considerable uniformity. In many 

 instances the infection remains localized, not caus- 

 ing the progressive and destructive changes which 

 actinomycosis produces when it occurs naturally. 



The organism has been found on grains, straws 

 and other kinds of feed, with which it may be im- 

 planted in the soft parts of the mouth (gums, 



Artificial 

 Infection. 



Transmission 

 and Infection 

 Atria. 



