G08 TRICHOM YCETES, ACTINOM YCETES, H YPHOM YCETES 
organism have been reported by a few observers, but the evidence 
is by no means conclusive. The organisms are cultured with great 
difficulty upon artificial media and no cultures were obtained from 
the cases reported except, probably those of Bulleid.^ 
Cladothrix.— The important cultural differentiation of the Clado- 
thrices from the Streptothrices rests upon the false branching of the 
former. The few meager reports of cases of Cladothrix infection cited 
in the literature are not sufficiently definite to determine the type of 
organisms involved. - 
Nocardia'' (Streptothrix, Discomyces).— The more common name of 
the group is Streptothrix, but investigation has shown that the latter 
term was previously given to a mold; according to rules of botanical 
nomenclature, it must be replaced by a name hitherto unused. 
Nocardia appears to be appropriate. The first organism was described 
by Nocard^ as the inciting agent of a disease of cattle in Guadaloupe, 
known as farcin. Since that time many cases have been reported 
both in animals and in man.^ 
Fig. 84. — Streptothrix hominis, 
Nocardia mycoses have occasionally been confused with tuberculous 
infections in the past. Farcin was suspected to be a tuberculous 
process until Nocard'' clearly demonstrated that the organism was an 
acid-fast Nocardia. 
In man the disease usually progresses slowly and the lesions are 
markedly localized, but it may run a rapidly fatal pyemic or pneu- 
monic course or one or two weeks' duration. A chronic case may 
abruptly become generalized and terminate fatally. It is not defi- 
1 Guy's Hosp. Rep., 1924, 77, 444. 
2 Babes and Mironescu: Centralbl. f. BakterioL, orig., 1910, 55, 108. 
' Brumpt (Precis de Parsitologie, 191.3, p. 952) and many other observers prefer to 
call the group Discomyces. 
* Ann. Inst. Pasteur, 1888, 2, 293. 
^ An excellent discussion of this group and its pathogenesis is by Claypole (Jour. Exp. 
Med., 1913, 17. 99; Arch. Int. Med., 1914, 14, 104). 
^ Loc. cit. 
