332 LEECHES 



marked signs of degeneration, their cytoplasm inmost cases 

 being extremely vacuolated. Among these connective-tissue 

 cells, which for the most part are quite branching and elon- 

 gated, is another class of cells which are in general of an oval 

 or elliptical form. The noteworthy appearance of these cells 

 is the presence of numerous dots in the cytoplasm which take 

 the methylene blue and toluidin blue stains very deeply. The 

 appearance is, indeed, very much as if the cells were filled 

 with micrococci. These are the granule cells of Waldeyer, or 

 still further differentiated as the plasma cells, in contradis- 

 tinction to the " mastzellen " or "food cells," which indicate 

 an exalted degree of nutrition. The nucleus of the plasma 

 cell takes the stain very slightly, or not at all, and is almost 

 entirely obscured by the numerous " granules " in the cyto- 

 plasm. These cells are well differentiated by the toluidin 

 blue stain, as they take a deep purple color, while the sur- 

 rounding cells are blue. 



Bitting has figured the jaw bone of a horse quite exten- 

 sively affected with this disease. He believes that the lesions 

 about the mouth result from the animal biting the affected 

 areas on the body. 



Neyrick reports finding the inflammatory growths in the 

 lungs of an affected subject, and Burke has reported them in 

 the liver. There are no other lesions described in the internal 

 organs although Neal writes that any tissue may be invaded, 



§ 249. Treatment. On the ground that the fungus sup- 

 posed to be the cause of this disease may be closely related to 

 the ray fungus of actinomycosis, the use of iodide of potas- 

 sium has been recommended. It is reported to be fairly suc- 

 cessful. The efficiency of this drug as a specific needs further 

 confirmation. 



REFERENCES. 



1. Bitting. Leeches or leeching. Biillelin No. 2^, Florida Agfi- 

 culiural Experitiietit Station, 1894. 



2. Fish. A histological investigation of two cases of an equine 

 mycosis, with a historical account of a supposed similar disease called 

 bursattee occurring in India. Annual Report, Bmeati 0/ Animal In- 



