674 



THE PARASITIC HYPOMYCETES 



paper. 



newly-born cats can also be infected (gummata, pulmonary tubercles, granular 



lesions). 



3. Serum diagnosis. 



The serum of persons suffering from sporotrichosis agglutinates the spores 

 of the parasite (sporo-agglutination of Widal and Abrami). 



For the purposes of the reaction take a portion of an one to three-months' - 

 old culture on Sabouraud's medium, break it up dry in a mortar, make an 

 emulsion with the powder in a little normal saline solution and filter through 



Mix the filtrate with the serum to be tested. 



tinder these conditions the serum from a case of sporotrichosis agglutinates 

 the spores in 50-60 minutes when diluted 400 to 500 times. Normal serum 

 has no agglutinating action. The serum of persons suffering from actinomy- 

 cosis occasionally agglutinates the spores of Sporotrichum but only when 

 much less highly diluted 1-60 at most (group-agglutination). 



Complement fixation. The serum of persons suffering from sporotrichosis 



contains specific immune bodies (sensibili- 

 satrices) (Widal and Abrami, Joltrain 

 and Weil, Brissaud). This can be shown 

 by the ordinary methods of complement 

 fixation (p. 233). 



SECTION VI. THE GENUS OIDIUM. 



Q The genus Oidium includes several 

 g, parasitic species of phanerogamic vege- 

 table organisms. 



One saprophytic species, Oidium lactis, 

 is very widely distributed and forms greyish 

 mucous spots : the fungus consists of 

 elongated cells placed end to end : the 

 terminal cells of the chains carry rows of 

 spores : numerous cells can be seen in the 

 act of budding. 



Under the name Oidium subtile cutis 

 Babes has described a fungus which he found on certain ulcers in a woman. 

 He was able to reproduce similar lesions in rabbits (p. 701, also p. 704). 



FIG. 3i7.-Oid lactis. 



SECTION VII. [OF UNKNOWN CLASSIFICATION.] 



The parasite of the disease Bursattee, or Leeches. 



The disease of horses, mules and cattle in the United States and of horses 

 in India, characterized by the formation of nodules and known in the United 

 States as Leeches and in India as Bursattee, is caused by a fungus discovered 

 by Steel and described by F. Smith. 



In the nodosites irregularly branched and occasionally swollen filaments 

 are found. Around the periphery of the latter small spherical bodies (spores ?) 

 are frequently seen, and in the meshes of the mycelial network rounded disc- 

 like bodies are found the significance of which is quite unknown. The parasite 

 has never been grown in artificial culture. Animals cannot be infected by 

 inoculation. 



To prepare microscopical preparations, dissociate the nodules by soaking 

 in a 10 per cent, solution of caustic potash in the cold for 12-24 hours. Sec- 

 tions should be stained with methylene blue and eosin or with the Ehrlich- 

 Biondi mixture. 



