42 Veterinary Medicine. 



Hewlett and Kanthack have sought to identify mycetoma 

 {Madura foot disease) with actinomycosis, but there are some 

 striking differences. Mycetoma is largely a tropical or sub- 

 tropical disease, affecting hand or foot, and avoiding other parts 

 of the body — notably the jaws which are so obnoxious to actino- 

 mycosis. Actinomycosis is largely a disease of temperate lati- 

 tudes, affecting the parts about the mouth, head and neck and 

 internal organs, and rarely the hands or feet. The last attacks 

 animals as well as men and in the same organs, while mycetoma 

 is described in man only. The parasites of the two diseases are 

 undoubtedly closely allied, but in view of their clinical characters 

 it seems premature to pronounce them identical. 



Prophylaxis. Considering the special prevalence of actino- 

 mycosis on damp, rich soils, the drainage of such soils offers a 

 means of restriction of the disease. The fodders and vegetation 

 raised on .such soils should be withheld from animals with faulty 

 teeth or those in process of dentition. To prevent undue encrease 

 of the germ actinomycotic animals should be promptly treated, 

 and. in case of failure, slaughtered and .safely disposed of. Ani- 

 mals the subjects of actinomycosis should not be used for human 

 food until the carcases have been subjected to a boiling tempera- 

 ture. The stalls of such animals may be disinfected by a satura- 

 ted solution of cupric .sulphate. In actinomycotic districts 

 cleanliness and disinfection of sores and the hygiene of the teeth 

 and gums should be carefully attended to. 



Treatment. In localized actinomycosis removal by the knife, 

 followed by disinfection with a .solution of cupric sulphate or with 

 iodized phenol, is very .successful. In inoperable cases injections 

 into the diseased mass of potas.sium iodide solution (i:ioo) may 

 give equally good results. Rydygier repeated these injections at 

 intervals of three to seven days for six weeks with successful re- 

 sults. Where ulceration has already taken place the subjacent 

 granulomatous tumor should be as far as possible removed with a 

 curette and the cavity packed with gauze or absorbent cotton 

 charged with iodized phenol or Lugol's solution. Cavities in the 

 diseased bones may be scraped out in the same way, and loose 

 teeth that are hopelessly useless are better removed. In 1843 

 Relph, an English veterinarian, claimed excellent results from the 

 use of potassium iodide internally and locally. 



In 1885 Professor Thomassen of the Utrecht Veterinary School 



