CHAPTER L. 

 PARASITES OF THE FAMILY GYMNOASCID^. 



Section I. The genus Tricophyton. 



General methods of examination, cultivation, etc. 



A. Endothrix species, p. 682. 



1. T. tonsurans, p. 682. 2. T. sabouraudi, p. 684. Other species, p. 684. 



B. Ecto-endothrix species, p. 685. 



1. T. mentagrophytes, p. 685. Other species, p. 687. 

 Section II. The genus Epidermophyton, p. 688. 

 Section III. The genus Microsporum, p. 688. 



1. M. audouini. 

 Section IV. The genus Achorion, p. 690. 



A. The human parasite, A. schosnleini, p. 690. 



B. The parasites of favus in the lower animals, p. 692. 

 Section V. The genus Lophophyton, p. 692. 



Section VI. Micro-organisms in Alopecia areata, p. 692. 

 Section VII. The bacillus of Seborrhcea oleosa, p. 692. 



[THE family of the Gymnoascidse comprises many parasitic fungi. They are 

 characterized by their conidial apparatus and by the fact that the asci are 

 surrounded by a loosely felted perithecium.] 



SECTION I. THE GENUS TRICOPHYTON. 



Griiby of Paris in 1842 was the first to demonstrate the presence of fungi 

 in different forms of ringworm. Malmsten shortly afterwards independently 

 described a parasite he had found in ringworm, [and the name Tricophyton 

 is of his introduction]. 



Formerly, parasites of the genus Tricophyton were classified with the Bothrytis. 

 They are now grouped with the genus Achorion in the family Gymnoascidse (order 

 Ascomycetes). The Tricophyta are closely related to Microsporum audouini (Tri- 

 cophyton microsporum, Sabouraud) another species found in ringworm by Griiby. 

 In cultures the Tricophyta produce spore- bearing hyphse arranged in a raceme 

 (conidial forms). 



The investigations of Sabouraud have shown that a number of species of the 

 genus Tricophyton is responsible for the ringworms of man and the lower animals. 



In man, the Tricophyta infect the scalp (Tinea tonsurans}, the beard (Tinea 

 sycosis vel barbce), the glabrous skin (Tinea circinata), the nails (ony- 

 chomycosis), [and certain of the mucous membranes (mouth and vulva)]. 



Methods applicable to the Tricophyton parasites generally. 



1. Microscopical examination. The infected hairs should be examined 

 after treating them with a 40 per cent, solution of potash in the warm (p. 690). 



