288 
TRANSMISSIBILITY OF TINEA TONSURANS. 
largest patch was about the size of the top of an ordinary 
wineglass, the smallest that of a shilling. The patches were 
more raised than usual, and there was also a greater amount 
of infiltration, more scaliness, and vesiculation; while some 
of the places on the back of the hand were dotted over with 
minute pustules. These differences Dr. Fox attributed to 
the skin having been more irritated than is usual in this 
disease : a larger sowing of fungus of vigorous growth no 
doubt accounted for the increased amount of irritation. On 
examining the scales from patches about the wrist, fungus 
elements possessing the characters of the tricophyton tonsu¬ 
rans were at once detected. 
Dr. Fox was informed that the gentleman in whose service 
the men were employed had sent to the Veterinary College 
(London) a white pony, which had suddenly become infected 
with an herpetic disease; and it was believed that the men 
had “ taken ” their malady from this animal. The pony was 
observed to be the subject of an eruption about December 
10th; the coachman, who, with the other men, groomed the 
animal, noticed the “ herpetic 55 spots on his lip and wrist on 
January 15th; the other two men being affected about the 
same time. On visiting the creature at the Veterinary 
College, Dr. Fox found its body covered all over with dis¬ 
coloured spots of a fairly circular outline, varying in dimen¬ 
sions from that of a shilling to large irregular patches the size 
of the palm of the hand, or more. These latter were formed, 
doubtless, by the rapid spread of the affection over a wide 
surface, and the coalescing of the patches. The appearance 
presented was as though circular pieces of mud had been scat¬ 
tered all over the white coat of the pony, and then brushed off, 
leaving the hair over the circular areas with which it had come 
into contact of a dirty white hue, which contrasted strongly 
with the clear white of the intermediate portions of the coat. 
But on looking closely to the discoloured patches, it was at 
once evident that the hairs themselves had become altered 
in texture and direction. They were curled and bent out 
of their proper course into wholly different directions. They 
were also loosened, and readily came away from the follicles, 
while some broke off; besides, they were more opaque, and 
the surface of the skin was covered over by a mealy powder, 
thickly set about the hairs. The pony was in very poor 
condition generally, and its skin presented all the characters 
of tinea tonsurans, or ringworm of the hairy scalp of man. 
On microscopical examination a large amount of fungus was 
discovered of the same kind, and in the same positions, as in 
tinea tonsurans: that is to say, the epithelial cells, the hair 
