THE HIGHER BACTERIA 619 



as both continue dividing, the simulation of true branching is pro- 

 duced. 



Streptothrix denotes forms with numerous true branches and spores 

 which usually appear in chains. 



Actinomyces is of more complicated structure, characterized by the 

 formation of club-shaped ends and the stellate arrangement of its 

 threads. 



LEPTOTHRIX 



Members of the leptothrix group have been observed in connection 

 with inflammations of the mouth and pharynx by Frankel,^ Michelson,^ 

 Epstein,^ and others. In many of these cases the organism was identi- 

 fied by morphology chiefly, pure cultures not having been obtained. 

 The disease in none of these cases was accompanied by severe systemic 

 symptoms and it is likely that when found in human beings the organ- 

 isms may be regarded simply as comparatively harmless saprophytes 

 appearing in connection with some other specific inflammation. 



Cultivation of the Leptothrices is not easy and has been successful 

 only in the hands of Vignal * and Arustamoff .^ 



CLADOTHRIX 



Owing to much confusion in the differentiation of these forms from 

 the streptothrices, it is not possible to determine whether cases of true 

 cladothrix infection have been observed. It is likely that most cases 

 ascribed to microorganisms of this class have really been due to strep- 

 tothrix infection. The deciding criterion is, of course, the formation of 

 branches and these seem to have been observed in most of the cases 

 described. A closer differentiation, in the future, between true and 

 false branching can alone determine whether or not cases of cladothrix 

 infection proper may occur. 



STREPTOTHRIX 



Reports of cases of streptothrix infection of various parts of the 

 body, in both animals and man, are abundant in the literature. The 



' Frankel, Eulenburg's " Realencycl. d. gesam. Heilkimde," 1882. 



'Michelson, Berl. klin. Wooh., ix, 1889. 



' Epstein, Prag. med. Woch., 1900. 



» Vignal, Ann. de phys., viii, 1886. 



» Arustartwff, Quoted from Petruschky, Ice. cit. 



