I 
ACTINOMYKOSIS. 11 
necrobiotic focus, there were observed very numerous small discs 
composed of fine radiating filaments, one portion of which ter¬ 
minated in a rather dark, punctiform dilatation. These were 
more abundant in the peripheral tissue of the tumor, which ap¬ 
peared to contain the younger specimens, and of which there 
were only a few varieties. There was a more adult form, very 
often two discs together, in which the radiating filaments, start¬ 
ing from the central discs, were not so slender as in the other ex¬ 
ample, were of various lengths, and the punctiform dilatations 
at the end were also larger and more numerous. These dilata¬ 
tions, which may be considered conidia in process of maturation, 
were found in some preparations so developed as to look like true 
spores, and by their number and minute size they might readily 
become the active agents of dissemination, far and near, of the 
micromycetes in the tissues. The other form of Actinomyces 
was composed of a central irregular, or round disc, light yellow 
or olive tinted, and granular, from which proceeded rays much 
larger than in the preceding forms. In some of the specimens 
these rays were approximately equal in length, and altogether the 
Actinomyces did not look unlike the flower Marguerite. In other 
instances the length of the single filaments varied remarkably; 
while some of these projected only a short distance from the cen¬ 
tral disc, others extended in a direct or flexuous manner right 
into the surrounding necrobiotic elements. When by pressure 
the Actinomyces could be separated from each other into single 
filaments, and these were highly magnified, they were found to 
be flexible rods, each terminating in a lance-like bulging, or in an 
angular, single, bifurcated or trifurcated extremity, with a 
rounded apice. When yet more highly magnified, there was 
seen in the centre of each filament a fine axial line, either entire, 
broken, or in points or dots. 
Vachetta terminates his observations by remarking that though 
the canine species has hitherto shown itself refractory to experi¬ 
mental inoculation, yet this instance proves that it may suffer 
from the accidental disease ; that the fungus may present slight 
variations in form, not only in the different species of creatures 
in which it has been found (man, ox, pig, horse, and dog), but 
