1782 



SPRUE AND OTHER DIARRHCEAS 



same theory, though he does not consider that M. albicans is the 

 cause of the malady. He calls the monilia observed in his cases 

 M. psilosis, but, according to the laws of nomenclature, the correct 

 term would seem to be Monilia enterica. 



Moniiias found in Sprue. — The principal species of monilia so far 

 found in sprue are the following : — 



1. Monilia albicans Robin. 



2. Monilia decolorans Castellani and Low. 



3. Monilia intestinalis Castellani. 



4. Monilia fcecalis Q,diSte\\d,m. 



5. Monilia insolita Castellani. 



6. Monilia tvopicalis Castellani. 



7. Monilia enterica Castellani (probable synonyms: 



Monilia psilosis Ashioi'd, Par asaccharomyces ashr 

 fordi Anderson). 



For description of /these fungi see p. 1079. 



Species of the Genus Oidium found in Sprue. — The principal 



species of the genus Oidium sensu stricto so far found in sprue are: — 



Oidium rotundatum Castellani. 

 Oidium aster 0 ides Castellani. 



For description of these fungi see p. 1093. 



Remarks. — Kohlbrugge's theory is the one finding most support 

 at the present time, and, according to various authors, agglutination 

 and complement fixation tests are supporting it, and certain ob- 

 servers have claimed to have succeeded in reproducing the malady 

 in the lower animals by injection of intestinal moniiias. We be- 

 lieve that if the malady is eventually demonstrat ed to be a moniliasis, 

 then a group of moniiias, and not one only, will be found to be 

 capable of producing the affection; this in analogy to what one sees 

 in bacillary dysentery, and in affections due to the higher fungi, 

 such as ringworm. 



It must be noted that fungi, especially in tropical countries, may be found 

 also in stools of normal individuals, and persons suffering with affections 

 which are not connected with sprue. Such fungi mostly belong to the genera 

 Monilia, Saccharomyces, Cryptococcus, Willia, Mycoderma, Oidium. 



The Helminthic Theory. — Some authorities consider Strongyloides 

 stercoralis to be the cause of the disease, but in our experience the 

 worm has nothing to do with the malady, being found in all sorts 

 of pathological conditions. 



The Bacterial Theory. — Numerous different cocci, bacilli, etc., 

 have been described as the causative agents of sprue, but so far 

 none has been demonstrated to be the primary cause of the malady. 

 Rogers and NichoUs have suggested that the disease may be a 

 streptococcal infection, both authors havirg obtained good results 

 by using streptococcal vaccines. The streptococci found by Nicholls 



