336 PUBLIC HEALTH BACTERIOLOGY 



Such infections mostly occur in those engaged in handling 

 grain, whole or crushed, either as transporters or as 

 feeders of animals or fowls. Many of the cases are among 

 bird fanciers, especially those keeping pigeons, which 

 among birds are specially liable to aspergillosis. Birds 

 and mammals can be fatally infected by intravenous 

 inoculation with aspergillus spores. In birds, infection 

 has been produced by inhalation of spores. In examining 

 sputum for the presence of aspergilli, it is absolutely 

 necessary that the examination should be made immedi- 

 ately after expectoration, since the spores of such moulds 

 may exist in the air in considerable numbers, and falling 

 on to the sputum would germinate there. A film is 

 made on a slide in the ordinary way, dried, fixed by heat 

 or absolute alcohol, stained with carbol-thionin, and 

 examined. The characteristic threads or filaments of 

 the mycelium are seen among the pus cells. It is further 

 necessary to verify the diagnosis by cultivating the fungus 

 and noting its growth and morphology. This should be 

 done on a special medium, such as Raulin's liquid medium, 

 in which the aspergillus grows well. This is composed 

 of water, 1500 grm. ; crystallized sugar, 70 grm. ; 

 tartaric acid and ammonium nitrate, of each 4 grm. ; 

 ammonium phosphate and potassium carbonate, 0-6 grm. ; 

 magnesium carbonate, 0-4 grm. ; ammonium sulphate, 

 0-25 grm. ; sulphate of iron, sulphate of zinc, potassium 

 silicate, and manganese carbonate, of each 0-07 grm. 

 Take a sufficiency in an Erlenmeyer flask, inoculate by 

 dropping in a small piece of the sputum, and incubate at 

 37 C. In 3 to 10 days there grows a whitish meshwork, 

 with branches bearing spores, green at first, but in a few 

 days becoming smoke-black. The growth is examined 

 microscopically, and its characters are studied. To verify 

 its pathogenic action, an emulsion of the culture is injected 

 into the ear- vein of a rabbit. The animal dies in several 

 days with a generalized pseudo-tuberculosis. 



2. Aspergillus repens, found in the auditory canal, 

 producing a false membrane. 



3. Aspergillus ftavus, in chronic ear discharges. 

 Penicillium, or " Pencil " Mould. The blue-green 



variety of this form of mould, Penicillium glaucum, is the 



