PARASITIC FUNGI AND MOULDS. 61 



this checks the regular development of the hair. The 

 consequent irritation of the follicle produces hyper- 

 trophy; this leads to the shrinking and finally to 

 the obliteration of the follicle, and after languishing 

 for a while, the hair falls off. 



Thrush (Oidium albicans)* This fungus generally 

 appears on the mucous membrane of the mouths of 

 infants, especially of those brought up by hand, and 

 which have been accustomed to the use of a sucker. 

 The saliva becomes acid, and the white spots which 

 constitute thrush (Fig. 34) appear in several places, 

 especially on the tongue, the gums, and the soft 

 palate. 



This plant is composed of two elements: of hyphse, 

 and of spores, which adhere closely to the mucous 

 membrane. The spores become elongated and con- 

 verted into hyphse, which are segmented and ramified 

 as their length increases ; and they produce spores by 

 division of the terminal cell, or sometimes by endo- 

 genous formation within the hyphse. 



Thrush sometimes occurs in adults in certain 

 diseases, such as phthisis and typhoid fever, especially 

 when the patient eats little and is imperfectly 

 nourished, which is frequently the case in serious or 

 protracted illness. 



It is easy to destroy thrush by washing the 

 mouth with Vichy water, or a solution of bicarbonate 



* Oidium albicans, Robin ; Saccharomyces attricans, Recs ; Sacch. 

 mycoderma, Grawitz. (See chapter on the Polymorphism of Microbes.) 



