534 TRICHOMYCETES, ACTINOMYCETES, HYPHOMYCETES 



Leptothrix. Leptothrices are frequently found in the mouth, so 

 commonly indeed that Leptothrix buccalis is regarded as a regular 

 inhabitant of the oral cavity. Suppurative processes incited by this 

 organism have been reported by a few observers, but the evidence 

 is by no means conclusive. The organisms are cultured with great 

 difficulty upon artificial media and no cultures were obtained from 

 the cases reported. 



Cladothrix. The important cultural differentiation of the Clado- 

 thrices from the Streptothrices rests upon the false branching of the 

 former. The few meager reports of cases of Cladothrix infection cited 

 in the literature are not sufficiently definite to determine the type of 

 organisms involved. 



FIG. 79. Streptothrix hominis. 



Nocardia (Streptothrix). The more common name of the group is 

 Streptothrix, but investigation has shown that the latter term was 

 previously given to a mold; according to rules of botanical nomen- 

 clature, it must be replaced by a name hitherto unused. Nocardia 

 appears to be appropriate. The first organism was described by 

 Nocard 1 as the inciting agent of a disease of cattle in Guadaloupe, 

 known as farcin. Since that time many cases have been reported 

 both in animals and in man. 



Nocardia mycoses have occasionally been confused with tuberculous 

 infections in the past. Farcin was suspected to be a tuberculous 

 process until Nocard 2 clearly demonstrated that the organism was an 

 acid-fast Nocardia. 



In man the disease usually progresses slowly and the lesions are 

 markedly localized, but it may run a rapidly fatal pyemic or pneu- 



1 Ann. Inst. Past., 1888, ii, 293. 2 Loc. cit. , 



