ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MIOROSCOPY, ETO. 
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make up the Ilemibasidii of Brefeld. The Pucciniaceae correspond to 
the Uredineae of authors, and are removed from the Ascomycetes. 
M. P. Vuillemin,* while accepting Yan Tieghem’s classification in 
some important points, criticizes it in others. He dissents from the 
inclusion of the Ustilagineae in the Basidiomycetes, because they possess 
neither true protobasids nor basids. He also defends the separation of 
the Uredinem, and the use of the term teleutospore, that of probasid 
resting on an illusory homology. 
Pilose Tubercles of Agaricinese. j — M. Boudier has investigated the 
nature of the pilose tubercles frequently found on the pileus of Pleurotus 
ostreatus and some other Agaricinese, inaccurately called glands by 
some writers. He states that they are always caused by humidity, 
but not simply by the humidity of the air. The inciting cause appears 
to be invariably the egg of some dipterous insect deposited upon the 
pileus. Several species which have been founded on this accidental 
character must be abolished. 
Trichophyton megalosporon pyogenes.^ — M. R. Sabouraud main- 
tains that the tinea tonsurans of children, known under the name of 
kerion celsi, the tinea affecting the beard or sycosis circine, and the 
disease termed “ perifolliculite agminee ” (Herpes circinatus), are the 
same disease, the localization alone being different. The disorder is of 
fungoid origin, due to a special trichophyton, and in man is usually 
derived from contact with animals, more particularly the horse. In the 
horse the parasite causes a lesion closely resembling that in the human 
subject — a circinate folliculitis. 
In about 80 per cent, of human ringworm the hairy scalp is affected, 
the remaining 20 per cent, are cases affecting the smooth surface. About 
2-3 per cent, are cases of sycosis menti. Microscopical examination 
reveals two kinds of parasites, one having spores 8-9 p, in diameter, 
and obviously contained within a mycelium, the other having spores 
2-3 p. only in diameter, and without any distinct mycelium. The latter 
parasite, Trichophyton microsporon, causes the tinea tonsurans of children, 
the former, T. megalosporon , affects the hair of the scalp and beard and 
the smooth skin of all ages. That T. megalosporon affects the horse 
is proved from the case of a stableman attending horses suffering with 
a malady of similar appearance, and found to contain the same fungus. 
In all cases the presence of suppuration is a marked phenomenon, so 
that this class of parasite is termed pyogenic ; in the pus, however, 
the quantity of parasitic elements is small. 
Microscopical examination of the hair is best made by immersing it 
in a 40 per cent, solution of caustic potash, and inspecting the prepara- 
tion under a magnification of 300 with powerful illumination. Not only 
are the hairs invaded by the parasite, but the hair-sheaths also, and 
another point of diagnostic importance will be found in the presence of 
giant spores — spores having a diameter of 15-18 p,. 
The fungus was cultivated on gelose-beer-wort, pure or diluted to 
1/5 or 1/10, and on potato. The optimum temperature was 18°. The 
* Tom. cit., pp. 161-74. 
t Kev. Gen. de Bot. (Bonnier), v. (1893) pp. 29-35 
X Ann. Inst. Pasteur., vii. (1893) pp. 497-528 (2 pis. and 3 figs.). 
