286 
The 11 Bottle-Bacillus" 
Conclusions. 
It appears, therefore, that the organism described in this paper is a 
harmless permanent inhabitant of the superficial layer of the human 
skin, and that its presence in larger or smaller number depends on the 
more or less favourable conditions existing in different skins. Diseased 
skins, especially seborrhoic and pityroid, offer evidently the best condi¬ 
tions for the existence and multiplication of this organism. 
The greasy state of the skin in Seborrhoea, the larger amount of 
horny cells thrown off in Pityriasis, the increased disintegration on the 
surface of the skin, together with an increased formation of fatty acids, 
may be regarded as conditions which favour the growth of this 
saprophyte. I would revert here to the fact that the organism showed 
a far more abundant growth in acid than in alkaline or neutral 
media. 
Taking into consideration the cultural results obtained, I believe 
(contrary to my opinion expressed in my preliminai’y note) that the 
organism should rather be placed between the Hyphomyceta and 
Blastomyceta, than classified with the latter. 
It appears to belong to the genus Oidium, together with the other 
well-known parasites of the skin. 
The name “ Bottle-bacillus ’’ though very well expressing a morpho¬ 
logical characteristic of this organism, is inadequate, if one considers its 
position in the system of bacteria. Malassez, when he first described 
this organism, called it a “ champignon,” and thought it closely related 
to the Microsporon audouini of Gruby. My experiments seem to 
corroborate Malassez’s original view, in so far as they indicate that this 
organism, though evidently a rather harmless saprophyte of the skin, and 
of the skin only, belongs to the same group as the pathogenic parasite 
of skin and hairs (Trichophyta ); I therefore venture to propose for this 
organism the name Dermatophyton Malassez. 
REFERENCES. 
Dold, H. (1909). The cultivation of the so-called Bottle-bacillus. Journ. Royal 
Inst, of Public Health, No. 12, 748. 
Gruby (1843). Becherches sur la nature, le sitge et le developpement du Porrigo 
decalvans ou Phyto-alopecie. Compt. rend. Acad. Sc., xvii. 301 et seq. 
Malassez, L. (1874). Note sur le champignon de la pelade. Arch, de Physiol., II, 
Ser., i. 203 et seq. 
