ACTINOMYCETES 463 



and there was no evidence of multiplication of the fungus; 

 while in the experiments of Israel and Wolf it is said there 

 developed, in from four to seven weeks after intraperitoneal 

 inoculation, larger and smaller tumors in which typical 

 mycelia were present, and from which the fungus was 

 obtained in pure culture. 



Actinomyces Madurae. This organism is suppposed to 

 be concerned in the causation of mycetoma or Madura foot. 

 Two varieties of mycetoma are known, viz., the pale or 

 ochroid and the black or melanoid. Save for its occur- 

 rence in the foot, mycetoma is almost a counterpart of 

 actinomycosis; and the suspicion of their identity is by 

 no means lessened by the fact that the actinomyces con- 

 stantly associated with the ochroid variety is to all intents 

 and purposes identical with actinomyces bo vis. It differs 

 from that organism only in such minor details as to leave 

 little doubt that they are very closely related, if not iden- 

 tical, so that a description of the one serves equally to aid 

 in the identification of the other. 



The investigations of Wright, 1 conducted upon a case 

 encountered in Boston, point to another type of parasite as 

 the causative factor in the black mycetoma. Instead of an 

 actinomyces, Wright found a true mold. He expresses 

 the opinion that the pale mycetoma is, etiologically, 

 actinomycosis, and that the black is a hyphomycetic 

 infection. 



The fungus encountered and isolated in pure culture by 

 Wright presented the following characteristics: As ob- 

 tained from the affected tissues, the mycelia under the 

 microscope appear as black or brown mulberry-like masses 



1 A Case of Mycetoma (Madura Foot), Journal of Experimental Medi- 

 cine, 1898, iii, 421. 



