432 INFECTIVE DISEASES. 



examining the form of tlie individual elements. As in tlie bovine 

 fungus, every variation in form is found, from single clubs to clubs 

 vsrith lateral offshoots, clubs bifid at the extremity, palmate or 

 fan-shaped groups, and banana-like bunches. In many cases the 

 clubs are divided by transverse fission into two, three, or more 

 segments. As a rule, the clubs are irregular in shape, and of about 

 equal size, while a few are conspicuous by their length. In other 

 parts of the preparation the clubs are replaced by long slender 

 forms, which are sometimes transversely divided into a number of 

 short links. With suitable illumination many clubs are seen to 

 taper off into slender filaments. In addition there are free filaments, 

 which are twisted, branched, and sometimes distinctly spirillLform. 

 Many of the clubs arei composed of layers differing in their refractive 

 power, and many have the appearance of a central channel. There 

 are also in the preparation small, highly refractive bodies, fat 

 granules, granular detritus, round cells, pus cells, and sometimes 

 blood corpuscles. 



The grains differ, as a rule, from those from a bovine source, in 

 the absence of that sensation of grittiness so often transmitted to the 

 finger when pressing the cover-glass upon them, and in the slightly 

 greater tendency of the tufts to retain their compact form. By 

 teasing the grains in a drop of water on a slide, . and examining 

 the preparation with a ^ or a Jj- objective, the explanation 

 of the latter is forthcoming ; for by this process the clubs are 

 gradually washed away, and a central core remains, which is com- 

 posed entirely of a dense network of filaments. This can readily be 

 observed by using a small diaphragm, and it will be found that 

 the rosettes of clubs are now replaced by tangled masses, having some 

 resemblance to miniature tufts of cotton-wool. These filaments 

 constitute the delicate network which is seen in sections stained 

 by the method of Gram. This can be readily verified by making 

 a cover- glass preparation of the grains, and staining by that method. 

 The characters of the fungus can readily be studied by proper 

 illumination, without staining. The clubs have a faintly greenish 

 tint, and in form and arrangement are quite characteristic and easily 

 recognisable. Permanent preparations may be made by mounting 

 the fungus in glycerine. 



Description of Stained Specimens. 



The fungus may be stained in alcohoUc solution of eosin in the 

 manner to be described for the bovine organism, or in orange-rubin, 



