172 The Philippine Journal of Science ms 



lesions under consideration. Neither the spirochsete of tropical 

 ulcer nor the fusiform bacillus usually associated with it could 

 be found in smears from these ulcers. 



Tertiary yaws is, at least in the oriental tropics, very apt 

 to be invoked in explanation of such lesions as the more advanced 

 of these cases, and it is very probable that in yaws districts 

 similar lesions, because of their negative microscopic findings 

 and the beneficial effect of treatments that include potassium 

 iodide, might be so diagnosed. I am strongly of the opinion that 

 late yaws can be eliminated in the present instance because 

 of dissimilarity of its development, course, and general appear- 

 ance ; negative history and absence of evidence of early yaws in 

 these cases; and freedom of the immediate district from the 

 disease. Negative search for the treponema in the chronic cases 

 is not valid evidence in this consideration. 



It is, therefore, probable that these lesions were due to some 

 unknown infective agent, not demonstrable in smears or sections, 

 but characterized by persistence in strictly localized lesions over 

 long periods, and capability of causing considerable damage to 

 the individual. This being borne in mind, the curious features 

 of the cultural findings can be accepted as of more significance 

 than might at first seem possible. 



CULTURAL OBSERVATIONS 



Utilizing tissue fragments and scrapings from incisions, a 

 large number of cultures were made. The media used included 

 ordinary nutrient agar, with and without dextrose, maltose, 

 and glycerin, and a number of special fruit media. On none 

 of the ordinary media and in no culture planted with fluid 

 material were developments of interest observed. In several 

 cultures mold fungi developed, evidently from spores contami- 

 nating the lesions. Bacterial contamination was practically con- 

 stant, though in cultures of material from deep in the lesions 

 there were few colonies. In most cultures the tissue elements 

 were rapidly destroyed, as was to be expected from the combina- 

 tion of autolysis and bacterial overgrowth. However, in tissue 

 planted on certain of the special media there occurred, whether 

 in spite of, or dependent upon, the influence of the accompanying 

 bacteria, certain changes in the leucocytes that are distinctly 

 unusual and of considerable interest. 



HYALINIZATION IN NUCLEI OF LEUCOCYTES 



The term hyalinization is used as descriptive of the appear- 

 ance in fresh preparations of the leucocytes whose nuclei, wholly 



