THE ACTINOMYCOSES 



2141 



This organism has red or yellowish grains, which produce pinkish 

 colonies on the agars (Plate VI., Fig. 8) and on potato. Kan- 

 thack's name was overlooked until recently. 



.ffitiology. — The fungi causing actinomycosis belong to the genera 

 Cohnistreptothrix and Nocardia, and are best arranged by consider- 

 ing the different varieties of the disease, classified, like the Maduro- 

 mycoses, according to the colour of the grain and the name of the 

 discoverer. 



They may be divided into: — 



I. The black actinomycosis, with black grains, 

 n. Thewhite or yellow actinomycoses, with white or yellow grains, 

 in. The red {sometimes yellowish) actinomycosis, with red (some- 

 times yellowish) grains. 



I. THE BLACK ACTINOMYCOSIS. 



Only one variety, found in Europe, is known — viz.. Babes and 

 Mironescu's black actinomycosis, of which the fungus has never been 

 classified. 



II. THE WHITE OR YELLOW ACTINOMYCOSES. 



These may be differentiated by the characters of causal organisms 

 into: — 



A. Fungus difficult of cultivation, grows best anaerobically, 



arthrospores absent — Genus i, Cohnistreptothrix. 

 {a) Yellow grains: — 



1. Israel's yellow actinomycosis, caused by C. israeli 



Kruse, 1896. 

 (b) Very small white grains: — 



2. Ravaut and Pinoy's yellow actinomycosis, caused by 



C. thibiergei. 



B. Fungus grows readily aerobically and produces arthrospores 



— Genus 2, Nocardia. 

 {a) Clubs present : — 



3. Acland's yellow actinomycosis, caused by A^. bovis 



Harz, 1817. 

 (b) Clubs absent. 



[e) Hard sheath around grains: — 



4. Boiiffard's yellow actinomycosis, caused by N. 



somaliensis Brumpt, 1906. 

 (/) Hard sheath absent. 

 [m) No growth on gelatine. 



5. Krauses yellow actinomycosis, caused by A^. 



krausei Chester, 190 1. 

 (n) Growth on gelatine. 

 (0) Blood serum not liquefied : — 



6. Eppinger's yellow actinomycosis, caused by A^. 



asteroides Eppinger, 1890, 



