496 PKt>fCit'LES Ot V6TfiRl^fAfeY StfRdfiRV 



fungus on a barley-beard implanted in the velum of a hog, 

 and Korsak on a beard of grain inserted in the tonsil. 

 Analogous facts are reported by Neuwirth, Kouritzine and 

 Plana. 



In man, the part played by cereals is likewire clearly 

 shown by exact observations. In five cases of human 

 actinomycosis, Bostrom found fragments of barley in the 

 tissues invaded. The vegetal, saprophytic life of the para- 

 site also explains the cutaneous inoculations. The fungus 

 fixes itself to the surface of the skin after an excoriation or 

 superficial wound. Actinomycosis of the knee, of the inter- 

 digital space and of the external side of the limb, are devel- 

 oped from this circumstance. 



In the hog and ox infections have been known to take 

 place on the spermatic cord, and in the flank wound of the 

 sow, following castrations. Mammary localizations in the 

 sow and cow result, beyond all doubt, from an infection as- 

 cending up the galactophorous canal, and in a like manner 

 the hen becomes infected through the oviduct. Actinomyces 

 has been found in the eggs of hens. 



Actinomycostic infection is rendered more frequent by 

 the great resistance of the parasite. Its spores will resist 

 boiling for fourteen minutes, a dry heat of 145" C, five min- 

 utes contact with corrosive sublimate, i to 1000, and a 5 

 per cent solution of carbolic acid. 



It is very improbable that the affected animals commun- 

 icate the disease, except indirectly, by throwing off the para- 

 site into external environments. This is largely on account 

 of the fact that the parasite discharged from the fistulee are 

 degenerates which cannot cope with the organic forces of the 

 tissues it infects. Its inoculation is always fruitless. If posi- 

 tive results have been obtained by Johne, Max Wolf, Israel, 

 and others, they must be considered as exceptional and attri- 

 buted to the fact that the parasite was placed directly into 



