SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
669 
dom and are sometimes known as the ray fungus. It is common 
on all grasses, but seems to have a preference for the barley straw. 
On microscopical examination we find they present themselves 
in yellowish masses, club-like in shape, and seem to form in 
groups and forming almost a perfect rosette, the splindex or 
tail interlocking with one another. In certain tumors these 
enlargements are absent; the actinomyces are here represented 
by a mass of ramified mycelium. These fungi often undergo 
calcification. The actinomyces are colored by the methods of 
Cram and of Weigart. The cultures are obtained in the pres¬ 
ence and in the absence of air. Actinomyces can be devel¬ 
oped in different mediums. Glycerine, serum, and also on po¬ 
tato culture. They develop in rounded colonies in pale white 
masses which afterward become yellowish or reddish. Inocu¬ 
lation transmits with difficulty the infection to the calf, rabbit 
and guinea-pig. Temperature favorable for the development of 
the culture is between 32 and 37 centimetres. Cultures killed 
in 10 minutes at zero. 
How does infection take place ? The actinomyces may in¬ 
vade the animal economy in various ways, but principally 
through inoculation coming in contact with wounds in the 
mouth, diseased teeth, etc. Infection may also take place 
through the respiratory tract and through wounds of the skin. 
Generalized actinomycosis may take place through the circula¬ 
tion. Adult bovines are the animals particularly affected, al¬ 
though the disease attacks the horse, pig, sheep and man. The 
affection is very rare in the horse and sheep. We also find it 
in the deer. The disease has been for a long time known in 
Europe, under different names for the regions affected, but 
with the same clinical study; for instance, in England we find 
it under the name of “ woody tongue,” where the tongue is 
affected, and u lumpy jaw ” where the head and neck are af¬ 
fected. We also find in Europe and this country an epizootic 
cancer of the tongue similar to actinomycosis. The numerous 
works written off actinomycosis show that the disease can be 
reproduced in the old and new continent with a veiy inegulai 
development of the different localizations, such as the jaw, 
tongue, pharynx, etc., but I must say a prepondeiance of sta¬ 
tistics show that the maxillary bones of the head of the ox aie 
the places principally affected and observed. E10111 my personal 
observations I am inclined to believe that localizations of the 
lungs and viscera are almost exceptional, although it has been 
currently reported by several authors. 
