In the various kinds of skin diseases, fungoid growths invariably 
make their appearance, and in that horrible disease the Polish 
plica, mycelia and sporidia exist in enormous quantities. In fact 
no part of the body is free from the molestation of these minute 
spore.s, and if a weak place exist there they may truly be said to 
divide and conquer, for it is by self division that these minute 
forms increase and multiply. In those dangerous diseases Apthce 
and Diptheria the white patches seen in the mouth and throat will 
be found to consist almost wholly of fungus filaments interspersed 
with ei)ithelial scales. 
Having bestowed a pa.ssing glance on the fungi found on and in 
the highest form of life I will now call your attention to that form of 
fungoid developmentknown as Empusa musca. Every onehas, with- 
out doubt, observed at this time of year the bodies of the common 
house-fly attached to the windows, pictures, and furniture in our 
houses, surrounded by a dense white cloud, from a half to one inch 
in diameter. I he insect, althougli dead, and when slightly touched 
crumbling into a white powder, retains a lite-like appearance, the 
proboscis is protruded and in contact with the surface upon which 
it is apparently resting, the legs extended, and the feet retain their 
adhesive property ; if we now examine the fly a little more closely 
wo shall find the proboscis firmly adhering to the glass, in fact I 
have sometimes detached the body leaving the whole of it attached 
to the surface ; if we now inspect the fly with a lens we .shall observe 
that the body is swollen almost to bursting, every segment is 
stretched to its fullest extent, and externally seems to have been 
floured j if a portion of the abdomen be detached and examined 
under the microscope we shall find the whole of the internal 
organs have been absorbed by the growth of the fungus, and 
nothing left but the interlacing fibres of the mycelia. 
I have from time to time examined flies in various stages, and when 
the insect appears languid and unwilling to move we may feel assured 
that the fungus has begun to develop, and on dissection the fluid that 
fills the spaces between the viscera will be found to have greatly increased 
in quantity and filled with fatty drops, and innumerable minute cells 
filled with granular matter. These cells rapidly increase in size 
and if supplied with sufficient nutriment retain their spherical 
outline, but as the fluid decreases in quantity or nutritious value 
they begin to elongate, and assume the form of longer or shorter 
F 
