xiii, b, 4 Wade: Studies on Cryptoplasmic Infection 179 



whether this was a new infection on the superficial scar of the original 

 lesion or whether it was a renewal and extension of the latter. The 

 progress of the infection was very slow; the Commission surgeon reported 

 that the lesion was practically unchanged in three months. 



Tissue for cultures and sections was removed from the edges of the most 

 active-looking lesion, and smears were made from several points. These 

 show no special feature on microscopic examination. 



Two tissue bits from deep in the lesion were each divided 

 and planted on nutrient banana and nutrient prune agars. 

 Bacterial growths promptly appeared in all. On November 24 

 smears of the softened tissue on nutrient banana showed, among 

 the staphylococci, many cell fragments and densely staining 

 forms. Very few of the latter were found. In transplants from 

 some of these cultures nothing but bacterial growth developed, 

 and they were finally discarded. 



After six weeks on one of the original nutrient prune cultures 

 the fragment of tissue was removed (January 2) and triturated. 

 Occasional clear-cut basic forms and numerous more or less frag- 

 mented cells, numbers of them deeply staining, were found. Sub- 

 plants of this material were made on plain and nutrient banana 

 agars. A rabbit (R. 64) was inoculated in the anterior chamber ; 

 it died in three days, apparently from staphylococcic invasion. 

 On January 17 the plain banana subplant showed numbers of 

 small, usually round, basic forms. The nutrient banana subplant 

 was discarded because of contamination. No change occurring, 

 further subplants to several other special media were made 

 (March 13), another rabbit (R. 108) was inoculated, and two 

 or three drops of sterile serum were added to the original culture. 

 No further development occurred, and on June 28 all tubes were 

 discarded. This rabbit remained negative. 



Comment. — This case presents the lesions of longest standing 

 in the series, the greatest area of involvement, and the most 

 serious tissue loss. The lesions were very indolent and, there- 

 fore, presumably not rich in the infecting agent. 



CASE v 



Early lesion, right foot. — B. S., a Filipino, 25 years of age, farmer, in 

 excellent general condition, was seen on November 17, 1916. Six weeks 

 previously a small pustule had appeared at the center of the lesion pre- 

 sented (fig. 1). This had been" scratched and frequently irritated and had 

 slowly enlarged. 



When seen, the lesion appeared as an area of superficial erosion without 

 ulceration, measuring 4 by 5 centimeters, on and behind the inner malleolus. 

 This area was rough, pale superficially, red in the deeper portions. At 

 about the center (arrow, fig. 1) there was a slight opening that led into 

 a flat, collapsed cavity. A probe inserted obliquely passed under the skin 



