8 BOTRYOMYCOSIS 



and nodules found in the internal organs have been included 

 under this caption. Several investigators have isolated from 

 these lesions a species of microorganism which appeared to 

 stand in a causative relation to them. It was first described as 

 Zoogloea pulmonis equi, in 1870, by Bollinger, who found it in 

 the nodules in the lungs of a horse. More recently he has re- 

 named it Botryococcus ascofor'inans. Rivolta designated it Dis- 

 comyces equi. Rabe proposed the name Micrococcus botryogenes 

 and Johne has "called it M. ascoformaus. The results of other 

 investigators throw some doubt upon the specific nature of 

 these lesions. Kitt, Hell, dejong. Gay and others have found 

 in them micrococci which do not differ from M. pyogenes aureus. 

 The writer has failed to find M. ascofornians but has isolated 

 in its .stead pyogenic micrococci and streptococci. In one very 

 interesting case of thickened cord, the writer found masses of a 

 fungus resembling that of actinomycosis within the pockets of 

 spong}' tissue sprinkled throughout the thickened fibrous cord. 

 Bacteria were not found in this case. In the closed abscesses 

 in the connective tissue pyogenic bacteria have been found, ex- 

 cepting in certain cases of long standing where the cultures 

 gave negative results. Investigations which have been made 

 into the bacterial flora of the skin of the horse show that 

 P3^ogenic bacteria are frequently present in the deeper layers 

 of the epidermis, in ducts of glands and about the hair shafts. 

 With the possibility of infection from the integument plus all 

 the other chances of having members of this and other groups 

 of bacteria introduced into the body there seems to be abundant 

 opportunity for infection by a variet}^ of species. The evi- 

 dence at hand points to the conclusion that botryomycosis is 

 the result of wound infection, and that several species of micro- 

 organisms are capable of producing it. 



§ 8. Omphalophlebitis. This affection which is com- 

 monly called navel-ill, consists of suppurative lesions in j'oung 

 animals caused by pyogenic bacteria. In the horse they are 

 most often localized in the joints of the limbs. In certain other 

 species the lesions are quite as likely to be situated elsewhere 

 in the body. In some cases the morbid changes are restricted 

 to subcutaneous and intermuscular suppurative cellulitis. 



