CHRONIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES 107 



However, in treating animals with actinomycotic 

 tumour of the glandular tissues, one must be careful 

 to ascertain that the lesion is not tuberculous, with, 

 perhaps, actinomycosis as a secondary infection. In 

 cases of this kind, which, of course, would not respond 

 to vaccine treatment, doubt might be cast upon the 

 efficacy of the vaccine. In preparing an autogenous 

 vaccine in cases of this kind, it is advisable to ex- 

 amine the material taken from the abscess or tumour 

 for the presence of acid-fast bacteria. 



Recently considerable doubt has arisen as to the 

 ray fungus being entirely responsible for the lesions 

 of actinomycosis. Mr. L. Colebrook, M.B., B.S., has 

 shown that, at least in the human subject, lesions 

 simulating those of actinomycosis are often caused by 

 a bacterium which is called the " actino-bacillus." 

 Lignieres and Spitz have described an infection in 

 cattle resembling that of actinomycosis, the causative 

 agent of which is a Gram-negative bacillus, the same 

 as the actino-bacillus. To this bacillus they give the 

 name "actino-bacille." Colebrook points out that 

 lesions for which these latter organisms are responsible 

 do not in any way respond to iodine treatment, but 

 are amenable to treatment in many instances with 

 autogenous vaccines. These facts may explain the 

 failure of certain cases of presumed actinomycotic 

 lesions to respond to the supposedly specific iodine. 



Botryomycosis. — Botryomycosis is a chronic in- 

 fectious disease of equines. It usually results in the 



