IDENTITY OF AMERICAN AND FRENCH SPOROTRICHOSIS 129 
changes? To this the answer must be made that this is 
largely a conventional matter and often it is impossible to 
state clearly where the line of demarcation should lie. But 
this I wish to point out, that it is evidently not proper or scien- 
tific to use pleomorphism, or any other character for that mat- 
ter, as a basis for the classification of an early American 
strain, and not use it in the classification of French strains or 
later American strains. 
In résumé, I believe we are justified in stating that the dif- 
ferences between the American strains, including the original 
cultures of Schenck and of Hektoen, and the French strains 
of de Beurmann, Gougerot and others, are easily explained as 
pleomorphic variations and therefore are insignificant. Fur- 
thermore, the disease, clinically, pathologically, experiment- 
ally, and therapeutically, is admitted by all to be identical in 
France and in America. 
The above statements being true, according to the rules of 
botanical nomenclature the organisms in both countries should 
be called by the name first given to them in 1900 by Hektoen, 
namely, Sporotrichum schenckun. The fact that de Beurmann 
rediscovered the organism several years later deserves no 
consideration so far as determining nomenclature is concerned. 
As regards the use of the compromise term Sporotrichum 
schenckit-beurmanni, suggested first by Greco of South Amer- 
ica and more recently concurred in by Meyer in this country, 
it may be said that this is objectionable because it not only 
introduces a long cumbersome term but it is not in accord 
with the rules of botanical nomenclature. There is obviously 
therefore but one legitimate term for this organism, namely 
Sporotrichum schenckii. 
It should be pointed out that even though one maintains 
that the small differences noted between the pleomorphic 
forms of the Schenck-Hektoen strain and the other sporotri- 
cha are sufficient to justify a species distinction, the important 
fact remains that the hundreds of strains of sporotricha 
found in France and in North America are alike. This is 
admitted by both sides of the controversy. Therefore, which- 
ever view of the original Schenck-Hektoen strain is taken by 
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