﻿498 MUSGRAVE AND CLEGG. 



brownish-red membrane. The authors consider carrots to be the best medium for 

 rapid development of the organism, and growth occurs best at 37°, appearing as 

 a white scum which rapidly becomes yellowish. Small spots of various colors 

 also develop, according to the acidity of the media, the colors varying from grayish 

 to brick red. Roux tubes in which were placed reeds and water, sterilized, con- 

 stitute a favorable culture medium. In less than forty-eight hours a glaucescent 

 growth covers the surfaces of the reeds. 



Potato. — A white growth develops in forty-eight hours, this increases up to 

 eight days, becoming brownish. The medium becomes dark. 



Gelatin. — On this medium the growth is very feeble and no liquefaction 

 occurs. 



Agar and Saoourand's gelose. — The growth consists of a brownish, folded 

 membrane frosted with white, slowly becoming yellow. 



Animal experiments. — Subcutaneous inoculation of monkeys and rabbits gave 

 negative results. Subcutaneous inoculation in the foot of a rat produced small 

 granulations which contained mycelial filaments; these granulations were grad- 

 ually reabsorbed. Intravenous inoculations in rabbits were without result. The 

 author discusses the question of the etiology of the disease and the identification 

 of the fungi. 



E. Brumpt 2T has written a critical review of the entire subject with particular 

 reference to the parasites. He divides the fungi into two genera and several 

 species, gives the generic and specific diagnosis of each, and places the previously 

 described parasites in what he considers their proper position. He considers 

 mycetoma to be a clinical type of disease which may be caused by any one of the 

 several species of Streptothrix which have been described by various authors. The 

 work is very exhaustive and the plates are excellent, but after close study it 

 seems to us that his classification has been made upon insufficient data. 



Foulerton (1907) in his recent and complete study of the pathology of 

 Streptothrix infections in general, divides the group into several classes according 

 to the lesions produced, the cultural characteristics, and so on; in one of these 

 groups he includes S. madurw Vincent and the other allied organisms which 

 from time to time have been published as the etiologic agents in Madura foot. 

 The author was unable to demonstrate acid-fast properties in cultures of 

 S. madurw with which he worked. In considering the acid-fast properties of 

 Streptothrix in general, the author states that the number of these organisms 

 is still too small to justify fully definite conclusions, and in addition to B. 

 tuberculosis and other well known bacilli of the same type, he mentions S. ep- 

 pingeri, S. nocordii, S. caprw as well as Sabrazis' and Rivere's organisms as 

 having a similar acid-fast character. As our own Streptothrix is of this class 

 of acid-fast organisms, a comparative study of the group is interesting and will 

 be taken up more in detail in a subsequent paper. 



Wright 28 in Osier's Modern Medicine discusses the question of the existence 

 of two varieties of the disease. This author states that "at the present time 

 the ochroid or pale form of mycetoma must be regarded as actinomycosis of the 

 part." However, in the melanoid variety he recognizes the specific fungoid 

 nature of the affection, although, as he himself states, the etiology of the 

 disease remains to be proved by animal experimentation. Wright 29 was probably 

 the first one to cultivate the fungus of the black variety. Its cultural character- 

 istics have been given and are shown in the parallel column of Table II facing 

 page 500. 



27 Arch. d. parisit (1906), 10, 489. 

 ^Osier's Modern Medicine (1907), 1, 344. 

 M Loc. cit. 



