﻿IX, B. 3 Schobl: Etiology of Trichomycosis Palmellina 223 



It is evident from bacteriological examinations of ten cases 

 of trichomycosis as summarized in the table that bacteria 

 from the pseudodiphtheria group were found in every case to 

 predominate over the rest of the bacterial flora. In the early 

 stage, these organisms were present in practically pure culture. 

 Two types of colonies were encountered, the morphology of the 

 organisms being practically the same. The phenomenon of 

 mutation was thought of, and great care was taken to secure 

 pure subcultures of the two varieties of colonies. The types 

 of colonies being indistinguishable by the naked eye in young 

 cultures, Barber's method for isolation of a single organism 

 was applied in order to secure guaranteed pure cultures. This 

 method as applied to transplanting minute colonies from plates 

 being done under the low power of the microscope, any possible 

 contamination due to the inclusion of one colony by another 

 could be safely avoided. I have failed to ascertain any change 

 in the shape of colonies in pure cultures obtained in this way. 



The cultures of the pseudodiphtheria group which were isolated 

 from the cases of trichomycosis acidified glucose, maltose, and 

 saccharose. Dextrin, inulin, galactose, mannite, rafRnose, ery- 

 thrite, inosite, and dulcite remained unchanged. The acidifica- 

 tion was very slight, and occurred after several days' incubation. 

 Gelatin was not liquified. In bouillon, the growth occurred at the 

 bottom of the tube in the shape of a flaky sediment. Deep 

 agar stab culture on top of which melted agar was poured 

 developed scanty growth. On agar slant cultures, the growth 

 of isolated colonies was of the shape already described. Agar 

 stab culture showed arborescent growth. No haemolysis occurred 

 on human blood agar. White mice survived subcutaneous in- 

 oculation of 1 cubic centimeter of a bouillon culture which was 

 several days old. 



The bacterium second in frequency found in trichomycosis was 

 a large micrococcus forming white colonies and an organism 

 morphologically identical with the former but forming yellow 

 colonies (Nos. 3 and 4). These micrococci correspond to the 

 description of the organism found by others as far as mor- 

 phology and growth on the usual culture media are concerned. 



The large white coccus acidified glucose, maltose, and raffinose. 

 Mannite, dextrin, dulcite, amygdalin, galactose, and lactose 

 remained unchanged. The large yellow coccus acidified glucose 

 and saccharose. The rest of the sugars mentioned above 

 remained unchanged. 



Besides the bacteria already mentioned, other chromogenic 

 organisms were found. Their number was very limited, as a 



