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VIII. — The Cultivation and Life-History of the Bingworm Fungus 

 {Trichophyton tonsurans). By Malcolm Moeeis, F.E.C.S. 

 Ed., and G. 0. Hendeeson, M.D.,'m.R.C.P. 



{Read 11th April, 1883.) 

 Plate VIL 



The life-history of the ringworm fungus, first discovered by 

 Malmsten and Gruby in 1844, and its exact botanical position, 

 still remain a matter of uncertainty. Some observers hold strongly 

 to the belief that this fungus is a distinct species, whilst others 

 consider it merely a variety of one of the commoner Hyphomycetes ; 

 and these again hold different opinions, ascribing it variously to 

 Penicillium, Aspergillus, Oidium, and Mucor. 



We commenced the present investigation without any bias for or 

 against any of these views, and have been led to our conclusions 

 by the results of our experiments alone. 



Experiment 1. Cell cultivation with aqueous humour. — The 

 aqueous humour was placed on the under surface of the cover-glass, 

 which formed the top of a putty cell. In some cells an air-passage 

 was left, while others were closed. A small quantity of distilled 

 water was placed at the bottom of each cell to maintain the 

 moisture of the chamber. 



Hairs were removed from typical patches of untreated ring- 

 worm and were inclosed in a glass tube. 



One hair was floated on a drop of aqueous humour in each 

 cell. Spores adhering to the hair and root sheath were seen 

 under the Microscope to be those of typical ringworm. Placed 

 in the incubator at a temperature of 23° C, in 24 hours the two 

 preparations with air-passages were completely dried up. The 

 spores showed no signs of growth, and were surrounded with 

 masses of bacteria and micrococci. In the closed cells, the spores 

 were swollen, and some of them presented minute protrusions from 

 the sides, as if due to commencing growth. As in the open 

 specimens bacteria were abundant. After 48 hours the pro- 

 cesses had become distinct and were about twice the lensfth of 

 the spores. Subsequent examination showed no further develop- 

 ment, the bacteria present apparently preventing growth. 



Experiment 2. Cell cultivation with vitreous humour. — 

 Vitreous humour was used in the place of the aqueous, the hairs 

 being taken from the same case, and the experiments were similarly 

 conducted. Five in all, one open and four closed. Placed in the 

 incubator at 23° C, swelling and budding of spores took place 

 within 48 hours, and in 80 hours buds had grown out into distinct 

 mycelial filaments. The fluid, however, contained very numerous 

 micrococci, bacilli, and some triple phosphate crystals, wliich obscured 



Ser. 2— Vol. III. Y — 2 



