TINEA IMBRICATA (TOKELAU) 



2069 



times to the diffuse type. In some cases the lesions caused by 

 E. indicum seem to be sHghtly different from those given by 

 E. tropicale, the lesions caused by the former being perhaps a little 

 more superficial and the scales not situated so close together. Further 

 researches will probably show that there are several other species of 

 Endodermophytons, each of which will probably give rise to a 

 slightly different type of the disease. 



Experimental Reproduction of the Disease.— The disease is easily 

 reproduced in human beings by inoculating scales, as was done by 

 Manson, or pure cultures of the fungi, as done by Castellani. The 

 incubation period by the first procedure is eight to ten days. 

 By inoculating cultures of the fungi the incubation period is generally 



Fig. 819. — Experimental Tinea Imbricata obtained by inoculating 

 Cultures of Endodermophyton indicum. 



Compare \vith Fig. 818. Note the different clinical appearance from experi- 

 mental tinea imbricata induced by Endodermophyton tropicale. 



somewhat longer (twelve to twenty days), but the eruption develops 

 typically. It is of interest to note that if very old cultures are used 

 instead of young ones the inoculation may fail completely, or merely 

 an evanescent; superficial, papuloid, trichophytic-like patch may 

 be induced. 



Diagnosis. — ^This is easy, the presence of concentric rings fringed 

 with large tissue-paper-like scales being characteristic. Even when 

 the concentric rings are not present and the eruption is diffuse the 

 diagnosis is not difficult, being based on the characteristic large, dry, 

 tissue-paper-like scales, overlapping each other like tiles on a roof, 

 and- containing under microscopical examination an enormous 

 amount of interlacing mycelial tubes. 



