742 



Mycetoma, or Madura-foot 



The micro-organismal nature of the disease was early suspected. 

 In spite of the confusion caused by some who confounded the disease 

 with "guinea- worm, " Carter held that it was due to some indigenous 

 fungus as early as 1874. Boyce and Surveyor found that the black 

 particles of the melanoid variety consisted of a large branching 

 septate fungus. 



Pale Variety. — ^Kanthack was the first to prove the identity of 

 the fungus with the well-known actinomyces, but there seems to be 

 considerable doubt about the identity of the species. 



Fig. 305- — Mycetoma. Dorsum of foot showing sinuses, some of which are covered 

 by hard brownish crusts (courtesy of Dr. John W. Perkins). 



Morphology. — Under the microscope the organism was found by 

 Vincent* to be branched and belong to the higher bacteria. It 

 consists of long, branched bacillary threads forming a tangled mass. 

 In many of the threads spores could be made out. He was unable 

 to communicate the disease to animals by inoculation. 



Cultivation.^Vincent succeeded in isolating the specific micro- 

 organism by puncturing one of the nodes with a sterile pipette, and 

 * "Ann. de I'lnst. Pasteur," 1894, vm, 30. 



