346 



The Fungus Disease of India. 



[part II. 



tarsal and metatarsal bones and through the lower extremity of the tibia. All these 

 bones were extremely soft and opened-out in texture. The degree of softening varied 

 in different places ; in many it had proceeded so far as to render the bones quite spongy 

 and so friable as to be easily broken up under the finger-nail even on the surface, and 

 in some places the softening had proceeded to such an extent as to replace the bone- 

 texture entirely by a soft greasy pulp. In those cases in which the softening was only 

 partial the outline of the bones could yet be traced, but in other places the latter were 

 quite indistinguishable from the surrounding degenerated tissues. One or two examples 

 of cavities in the substance of the bones were also present, — ^smooth and lined by a 

 distinct membrane. Close to several of the articulations there was some slight roughness 

 of the surfaces of the bones. The muscular and tendinous structures of the foot were 

 well preserved and apparently unaffected by the disease ; but there was a general thicken- 



Fig. 8.— Outline sketch of a specimen of the Pale Variety of the Fungus Disease of India. 



ing of the areas normally occupied by fat and connective tissue, and all the structures 

 were much obscured by the extreme abundance of fatty matter present. There were 

 numerous cavities in the substance of the foot, lined by smooth membrane and containing 

 oily and fatty material. Some of them were quite isolated, but others communicated 

 with one another, and with the exterior by means of the channels previously alluded to. 

 One cavity of large size was situated immediately above the metatarsal bones ; it was 

 lined by a gelatinous pulp of orange-yellow colour and contained a large quantity of oily 

 matter. 



The extremely oily condition of all the tissues was most remarkable, the bones were 

 reduced to mere masses of soft fat penetrated and supported by remains of the osseous 

 tissue ; and it was impossible to touch the preparation without smearing the fingers, 

 knives, and other instruments with a thick coating of greasy oil, while the spirit in 

 which it was preserved was covered with a thick layer of large yellow oil globules. 



