76 THE MICROSCOPE IN VETERINARY MEDICINE. 
fungus advanced,, numerous spores were perceived to exist 
among the filaments of the mycelium ; and lastly, circular 
bodies of considerable size were seen in many parts of the 
field apparently filled with spores. One of the objects was 
examined in the beginning of January with the -^V glass, and 
the appearances represented in the illustration were distinctly 
observed. (See Fig. 10.) 
It will be noticed that many of the filaments are hollow 
cylinders, and contain minute spores; the spore cases are 
represented at the bottom of the figure, and several masses of 
spores are seen scattered over the field. 
So far the experiment was interesting, not on account of 
the evidence it afforded of the truth of the fungoid theory of 
disease, but rather for the contrary reason. The disappear¬ 
ance of the minute moving organisms in smallpox lymph, the 
commencement of the growth of fungi after the greater part 
of the organic matter had been destroyed by animalcules, and 
the growth of the same species of vegetable organisms in each 
specimen, tended to prove that, in this instance at least, 
there was no connexion between the fungus and the disease; 
but without accepting the results of the experiments as con¬ 
clusive in either direction, it is important to notice the disco¬ 
very of an unexpected fact in connexion with the growth of 
the fungi. During an inspection of one of the objects, it w^as 
noticed that the infusorial animalcules were moving freely 
among the filaments of the fungus without in any way 
disturbing them; and further, in focussing with high powers, 
the animalcules were only dimly seen when the fungus was 
clearly defined : these observations led to the inference, that 
the fungus was growing on the outside of the covering glass 
and not in the morbid fluid. With the intention of deciding 
this question, one of the specimens was placed under the 
inch objective, and when the filaments of the fungus were 
brought into view, a camel hair pencil was gently drawn over 
the surface of the covering glass, with the anticipated result; 
the fungus was thereby removed while the other parts of the 
object remained intact. A further test was applied by lifting 
the covering glass and carefully cleaning the under surface 
which had been in contact with the animal matter, and then 
placing it with the upper surface turned doAvnwards on a per¬ 
fectly clean slide. An examination under the microscope 
now proved that the fungus remained uninjured, while the 
other parts of the object had disappeared. The fact of the 
fungus having grown on the outside of the covering glass, and 
quite separate from the animal matter in each specimen, 
could no longer be doubted. Had the object been left unco- 
