700 



THE PARASITE OF TINEA IMBRICATA 



SECTION III. THE GENUS PENICILLUM. 



Fungi of the genus Penicillum possess septate conidial hyphse dividing into 

 verticillate or whorled branches, each carrying a cluster of spherical conidia 

 ending at the same height and having the appearance of an hair pencil. 



1. Penicillum glaucum (vel crustaceum) is one of 

 the commonest moulds : it forms green spots when 

 grown on bread and potato, and is used in the 

 manufacture of Roquefort cheese. In two cases 

 of chronic middle-ear disease, Maggiora and Gra- 

 denigo found this fungus in the Eustachian tube 

 mixed with various other organisms. It is patho- 

 genic for dogs, rabbits and lambs. 



2. P. minimum, a related species, has been found 

 in a case of acute otitis (Siebenmann). 



SECTION IV. THE PARASITE OF TINEA 

 IMBRICATA. 



Syn. Aspergillus lepidophyton Wehmer. [As- 

 pergillus concentricus R. Blanchard.] Lepidophyton 

 concentricum Tribondeau. 



Tinea imbricata, or Tokelau, is a disease of the 

 skin especially prevalent in Oceania and charac- 

 terized by large epidermal scales arranged in closely 

 set concentric rings. 

 Tinea imbricata is said to be caused by a fungus belonging either to the 

 genus Aspergillus (Wehmer) or to a very closely related genus, Lepidophyton 

 (Tribondeau). 



[The relationship of Tribondeau' s parasite to tinea imbricata is not yet established. 

 It is quite possible that this is an harmless saprophyte and that the true parasite 

 of the disease is a Tricophyton T. concentricum Blanchard- (Brumpt). ] 



The parasite is found in considerable amount in the epidermal scales in 

 which it forms septate and branched mycelial filaments not unlike the fila- 

 ments of certain of the " resistant " Tricophyta. Some of the filaments 

 consist of a series of segments in the form of grains of oats, which occasionally 

 show organs of reproduction ending in club-shaped swellings with short 

 chains of spores. 



To prepare microscopical preparations treat the scales with alcohol- ether 

 to remove the fatty substances, then with a 4 per cent, solution of potash 

 for two minutes, wash in water and mount in glycerin. To stain permanent 

 preparations, treat the scales after washing in water with absolute alcohol 

 tinted with eosin, clear in clove oil, wash in xylol and mount in balsam. 



[Tribondeau has grown the parasite in pure culture on cocoa-nut and on 

 banana and has reproduced the disease on himself (vide T. concent 'ricum, 

 p. 687).] 



FIG. 335. Penicillum glaucum. 

 (After Schenck.) 



