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The Philippine Journal of Science 



1914 



substantia corticalis. Against the invasion of the bacteria the 

 hair is defenseless, not being equipped with direct blood supply 

 and hence lacking all means of defence against infection. The 

 anatomical conditions of the radix pili are different from those 

 of the shaft. (6) The cellular elements of the root of the hair 

 being less differentiated than those of the shaft, the intercellular 

 spaces are solid and the blood supply is nearer at hand. Hence 

 the radix pili remains normal. Needless to say, mechanical 

 injury of the hair followed by loss of the cuticula of the hair 

 might facilitate the bacterial invasion, although the scalelike 

 arrangement of the cornified cuticular cells would possibly allow 

 the bacteria to penetrate without injury into the hair substance. 

 At any rate, the injury might be of minimal extent to bring 

 about the loss of the cuticula. 



EXAMINATION BY CULTURES 



The diseased hair was epilated by means of sterile forceps, 

 and streak culture was made on agar plates. The cultures were 

 incubated at 37 °C. The cultural findings as compiled from 

 repeated examinations are as follows. 



Index of cultures found in cases of trichomycosis palmellina. 



I. Bacteria found constantly in any stage of every case. 



1. Small round granular colonies of Corynebacterium. 



2. Small umbilicated coarsely granular flat colonies, with irregular 



margin, of Corynebacterium. 



II. Bacteria found frequently: 



3. Large round homogeneous white colonies of a large micrococcus. 



4. Large round lemon-yellow-colored colonies of a large micrococcus. 



III. Bacteria found occasionally: 



5. Large white umbilicated colonies of a large micrococcus. 



6. Orange-yellow soft colonies of a small micrococcus. 



7. Round concentric olive-green colonies of Sarcina. 



8. Round faint yellow-colored colonies of a micrococcus. 



9. Colonies of a staphylococcus resembling Staphylococcus aureus. 



Table I. — Distribution of bacteria in the cases studied. 



Case. 



Bacteria culture 

 No. 



1. O.S 



2. J. A. J 



3. R. W. H 



4. McM — 



1. 2, S, and 4. 



1, 2, 4. 5, and 9. 



1. 4, and 5. 



1, 2. 3. 4, and 6. 



1. 3. and 7. 



1. 2. 8, and 6. 



1. 2. 3, B. «. and 7. 



1, 2, and 3. 



1. 3, 4, 7. and 8. 



1, 3, and 4. 



5. D 



6. L 



7. B 



8. Jack 



9. Wh 



10. Gr 





