54 



BACTERIA, YEASTS, AND MOLDS 



and Others upon the smooth skin, the latter proving less 

 troublesome to heal. A second skin disease is favus, some- 

 times diffictilt to distinguish from ringworm, although it is 

 produced by a different species of mold, shown in Fig. 30. 

 In the case of both of these diseases the affection is 

 spread by means of mold spores discharged through the 



skin. They are liable to be 

 carried from person to person 

 by the use of combs or towels, 

 or even cloths and sponges 

 used in washing or bathing 

 the skin. If, therefore, there 

 is an example of ringworm in 

 a family, it is imperative, in 

 order to prevent the spread 

 of the disease from one to 

 another, that the person suf- 

 ducing a second type of skin fgring from the attack should 



disease known as favus. At a , , . ... 



,, ,. . , ^,^, have his own combs, his own 



tlie mycelium is shown, at b the 



spores as found on hair. towels, his OWn spOngeS, and 



even his own soap for washing. 

 By this means the disease can usually be confined to the 

 person in whom it originally appears. The cure of such 

 diseases must be left to a physician. 



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c^^jf^y 



Fig. 30. A mold (Ac/wrion) pro- 



MOLD-INFECTED RoOMS 



Sometimes a room, like a pantry, may become badly 

 infested with molds, so that all sorts of food become 

 rapidly infected by them. This is an indication that the 

 room is filled with mold spores in such numbers that they 



