BOTRYOMYCOSIS 7 



the colon group, and a few species of the genus pseudomonas 

 Fungi and protozoa are rarely found in wound infection le- 

 sions. Many of the specific pathogenic bacteria may be intro- 

 duced through wounds (§ 3). As a rule, it seems to be true 

 that in the domesticated animals as in man the pyogenic 

 bacteria are the most common and important wound infecting 

 microorganisms. In open wounds these are, of course, asso- 

 ciated with a very large number of ordinary saprophytic bac- 

 teria. Frequently in closed lesions nonpathogenic organisms 

 are present in addition to the seemingly causative factors. It 

 is worthy of note, that it appears to be impossible to predict 

 from the general character of the lesions, the kind of bacteria 

 which are producing them except it be in case of certain spe- 

 cific infections like tuberculosis or actinomycosis. 



^^ 6. Lesions presumably of wound infection origin 

 that are recognized as distinct maladies. It has already 

 been stated that the lesions following wound infections may be 

 brought about by a variety of bacteria and also that certain of 

 these diseased processes are som.etimes recognized as distinct 

 maladies. There are a number of affections which belong to 

 this class. From some of these, such as botrj'omycosis, a sup- 

 posedly specific organism has been isolated and described. A 

 number of workers, however, have found that other bacteria 

 may produce apparently the same morbid conditions. The more 

 important of the affections which seem to be directly traceable 

 to wound infection will be briefly described in the light of re- 

 cent investigations. It should be stated, however, that the 

 amount of work that has been done on these subjects is not 

 sufficient to render the resitlts in any- way conclusive, but 

 rather to suggest the lines along which valuable and conclusive 

 findings may be expected in the future. 



§ 7. Botryomycosis. This name has been given to a 

 variety of lesions found more commonly in the horse but occur- 

 ring also in cattle, swine and other animals. The thickened 

 spermatic cord (scirrhous cord) which sometimes follows cas- 

 tration is the most common form of this disease. Practitioners 

 often designate as botr3'omycosis certain closed abscesses occur- 

 ring in the subcutaneous or intermuscular tissue. Abscesses 



