2I04 



TROPICAL DERMATOMYCOSES 



angular needle or any similar instrument. The formations are 

 either yellow or black, or, less frequently, red. They may be very 

 abundant, and form a yellow, or black, or red sheath round the 

 hair (Figs. 843 and 844), which may at times become lustreless and 

 depigmented. The same patient may have two varieties: The hairs 

 of one armpit may show the yellow variety, while the hairs of the 

 other armpit may present the black type. Sometimes the same 

 individual hair may present some of the nodules yellow and others 

 black, or, rarely, red. We have Inot yet observed all the three 

 varieties present at the same time on the same patient. 



The microscopical examination with a low power shows that the 

 affected hair is covered at several places by roundish formations, 



Fig. 843. — Trichomycosis Axillaris Flava. 



Fig. 844. — -Trichomycosis Axillaris Nigra. 



partially or totally encircling the shaft. Using a higher power, 

 these formations will be seen to consist, in the yellow variety, of 

 enormous numbers of bacillary-like bodies embedded into an 

 amorphous 'cementing substance. In the red and black varieties 

 in addition to these masses of bacillary bodies which are the my- 

 celial segments of the Nocardia (Cohnistreptothrix), large groups of 

 cocci-like bodies are observed. The affection in our cases was never 

 associated with chromidrosis. It may attack the pubic hair. 



Macfie has described a subvariety of the red type, of less vivid colour: 

 fusca. It is caused by Cohnistreptothrix tenuis plus a coccus which seems to 

 be a variety of M. castellanii. 



