34 o The Fungus Disease of India. [part ii. 



condition in those localised spots. It would, further, be evident that however extensive, 

 in some cases, the modification in the aspect and effects of the disease by the develop- 

 ment of a fungus might be, the interpretation to be put upon the role of the latter 

 in the malady must be in accordance with the fact that its development depended 

 upon some previous change in the normal tissues. 



What our own conclusions are with regard to this matter in connection with the 

 disease in which we have specially studied it, will be gathered from the following 

 account of a series of observations extending over a period of several years. We have 

 endeavoured to curtail the narrative as much as appears to be consonant with the 

 desire that readers may be able to infer the extent and to know exactly the character 

 of these observations, and thus be able to judge whether or not we have worked at 

 the subject in such a way as to entitle us to form an independent opinion. 



CHAPTER II. 



THE EVIDENCE RECORDED IN FAVOUR OF THE FUNGAL ORIGIN OF THE MADURA-FOOT AND 

 HAND-DISEASE, OR FUNGUS-DISEASE OF INDIA. 



The disease which we have selected as being the most suitable for the purpose we 

 had in view — the " Fungus-disease of India " — has been investigated with the greatest 

 diligence and care by Dr. H. Vandyke Carter of Bombay, to whom the profession is 

 indebted for by far the fullest information it possesses with regard to the affection, 

 and who certainly was the first to describe accurately the minute characters of the black 

 particles frequently found in connection with it. His published observations date as 

 far back as March 1860, since which period several communications have appeared 

 from his pen.* These he has summarised and supplemented in a very able monograph 

 on the subject published during the past year.f 



Dr. E. W. Eyre also has written a concise description of the disease, as witnessed 

 by himself {Indian Annals of Medical Science, No. XII, pp. 513 and 813, 1860). 

 He mentions that Garrison-Surgeon Godfrey of Madras was the first to call attention 

 to the affection, under the designation of " Tubercular disease of the foot," and that 

 he published an account of some cases observed by him since 1844, in the Lancet , 10 th 

 June, 1846. The malady has, therefore, been known to the profession for more than 

 thirty years. 



No special interest was, however, taken in the matter until Dr. Vandyke Carter, 



* Transactions of the Medical and Physical Society of Bombay, Vol. VI, 1860. 



Ditto <litto, Vol. VII, 18()t). 



Ditto ditto. Vol. VIII, 1862. 



Transactions of the Pathological Society of London : Vol. XXIV. 1873. 

 •j- '• Mycetoma, or the Fungus-disease of India " — London : J. and A. Churchill, IST'l. 



