SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
917 
cases of actinomycosis of the udder so closely resemble miliary 
tuberculosis of that organ that a diagnosis can only be made by 
the microscope. Actinomycosis of the udder in swine is men¬ 
tioned as a common occurrence in Europe by John Colin and 
others ; Dr. F. has never seen a case in this country. Dr. F. 
then demonstrated the udder of a cow which showed exten¬ 
sive lesions, illustrating the second form of actinomycosis as de¬ 
scribed by Jensen ; he called attention to the peculiar pus from 
the nodules, which showed the typical yellowish granules (ray 
fungus or actinomyces), always present in cases of actinomyco¬ 
sis and by which a diagnosis is readily made ; a quantity of 
these granules in a small tube of alcohol were also shown. 
The appearance of these granules fresh from the pus and 
crushed under a cover glass demonstrated with a microscope, 
were also shown. Sections of the udder, stained with hema¬ 
toxylin and eosin, were shown with both high and low power 
of the microscope, further illustrating the appearance of the 
actinomyces and the histological structure of the nodules. 
The cause of the disease was then spoken of. Pictures were 
shown to illustrate its polymorphous form. To what group of 
micro-organisms the actinomyces properly belong is still an 
open question, the speaker said, so that the term actinomyces 
seems still the best to use. The best opinion agrees that it is 
exceedingly difficult to cultivate this organism artificially, and 
that experimental inoculation from animal to animal is practi¬ 
cally impossible. The disease, therefore, can only be infectious 
to a very mild degree, if at all, an assumption amply upheld by 
experience, since markedly diseased animals may remain for 
years in a herd without infecting other animals. 
On the contrary, the disease is often observed in mild 
enzootic form where herds are fed on certain grasses and grains. 
Especially, it seems, where these are grown upon reclaimed 
lands. The life history of the micro-organism is unknown. It 
may be that its life in the animal body represents only one 
phase and that the most virulent form occurs in its life upon 
some grasses and grains. 
Dr. F. then spoke of botryomycosis. In 1869 Bollinger 
gave this name to a disease of the lungs in horses, which is 
characterized by fibrous tumors varying in size from a small 
pea to a pigeon’s egg, and having larger or smaller purulent 
centres. He describes a specific fungus as the cause and called 
it zooglosa pulmonis equi. 
I11 1884 Risolta again described this fungus and classed it 
