﻿220 The Philippine Journal of Science 1914 



The disease being evidently common among Caucasians living 

 in the Philippine Islands, it seemed of interest to compare the 

 bacteriological findings made in Manila with those made else- 

 where, particularly in temperate climates, especially as the 

 bacteria found to be connected with the condition in question 

 were not sufficiently classified to warrant their identification. 

 Furthermore, it is evident from the brief outline of previous 

 examinations that the findings made by the various authors do 

 not refer to identical microbes. Therefore, it remains doubtful 

 whether or not trichomycosis palmellina as a disease is of one 

 etiology. 



It is the consensus of opinion that the disease occurs more 

 frequently in blonds than in brunets. The pigmentation of 

 the skin seems to be of significance, as the albinos of the 

 dark races are also susceptible. (Compare Eisner's (4) case 

 of an albino Negro showing trichomycosis palmellina.) This rule 

 evidently holds true also in the tropics as the disease seems 

 to be absent among the natives. Still other factors must be 

 taken into consideration, such as the lack of hair in the places 

 of predilection among the Orientals, as well as the increased 

 perspiration of the whites in the tropics as compared with 

 the colored races of the Orient. There is no doubt that perspi- 

 ration causes the seasonal occurrence and recurrence of the 

 disease. During the cooler months or during the sojourn in a 

 region of high altitude it was noticed that the disease was 

 reduced to a minimum, while during the hot season the disease 

 reached its climax, sometimes in spite of scrupulous cleanliness. 

 In one case under observation, folliculitis with corresponding 

 lymphadenitis was observed. Staphylococci were evidently a 

 secondary invader in this instance. 



MICROSCOPICAL EXAMINATION 



The foreign matter which causes the thickening of the diseased 

 hair was scraped off by means of a sterile scalpel. Smears 

 were prepared therefrom and stained by the usual methods; 

 unstained preparations were also examined. The material was 

 found to be composed of bacteria clumped in zoogloeal masses. 

 The great majority of the organisms were Gram-positive, non- 

 motile, rather short bacilli of the Corynebacterium type ; that is, 

 rod-shaped bacteria with rounded ends, one end of the rod being 

 thicker than the other. Elongated forms were also present. 

 Chromatic granules were evident in smears stained with Loffler's 

 methylene blue. Large cocci of the staphylococcic type were 

 also found. They were more numerous in the latter stage of 



