PARASITIC FUNGI AND MOULDS. 6} 
this checks the regular development of the hair. The 
consequent irritation of the follicle produces hyper- 
trophy; this leads to the shrinking and finally to 
the obliteration of the follicle, and after Dene 
for a while, the hair falls off. , 
Thrush (Oidium albicans).*—This fungus aoe 
appears on the mucous membrane of the mouths of 
infants, especially of those brought up by hand, and 
which have been accustomed to the use.of a sucker. 
The saliva becomes acid, and the white spots which 
constitute thrush (Fig. 34) appear in several places, 
especially on the tongue, the gums, and the soft 
palate. 
This plant is composed of two elements: of hyphe, 
and of spores, whieh adhere closely to the mucous 
membrane. The spores become elongated and con- 
verted into hyphze, which are segmented and ramified 
as their length increases; and they produce spores by 
division of the terminal cell, or sometimes by endo- 
genous formation within the hyphe. 
‘Thrush sometimes occurs in adults in certain 
diseases, such as phthisis and typhoid fever, especially 
when the patient eats little and is imperfectly 
nourished, which is frequently the case in serious or 
protracted illness. 
It is easy to destroy thrush by washing the 
mouth with Vichy water, or a solution of bicarbonate 
* Oidium albicans, Robin; Saccharomyces albicans, Rees; Sacch. 
mycoderma, Grawitz. (See chaptcr on the Polymorphism of Microbes.) 
