appearance when the central part is pale and the periphery red. As the colony ages the red color is lost and it becomes dull white. The colonies are very adherent to the surface of the medium, and are said to be of cartilaginous consistence. The organism also grows in milk without coagulation.

Upon potato the development is meagre, slow, and with very little tendency to chromogenesis. The colorproduction is more marked if the potato be acid in reac

tion. Some of the colonies upon agar-agar and potato have a powdery surface, no doubt from the occurrence of spores. It is, of course, an aërobic organism.

Under the microscope the organism is found by Vincent to be a streptothrix-a true branched fungus consisting of long bacillary branching threads in a tangled mass. In many of the threads spores could be made out.

Vincent was unable to communicate the disease to animals by inoculation.

Microscopic study of the diseased tissues in cases of mycetoma is not without interest. The healthy tissue is said to be sharply separated from the diseased masses. The latter appear as large degenerated tubercles, except that they are extremely vascular. The mycelial or filamentous fungous mass occupies the centre of the degeneration, where its long filaments can be beautifully demonstrated by the use of appropriate stains, Gram's method being excellent for the purpose. The tissue surrounding the disease-nodes is infiltrated with small round cells. The youngest nodules are seen to consist of granulation-tissue, which in its organization is checked by the coagulation-necrosis which is sure to overtake it. Giantcells are few.

Not infrequently small hemorrhages occur from the ulcers and sinuses of the diseased tissues; the hemorrhages can be explained from the abundance of small blood-vessels in the diseased tissue.

Although the disease has been described as occurring in Scinde, it is not limited to that province, having been met with in Madura, Hissar, Bicanir, Dehli, Bombay, Baratpur, Morocco, Algeria, one case by Bastini and Campana in Italy, and one by Kempner in America.

CHAPTER VII.

FARCIN DU BŒUF.

THE peculiar disease which sometimes affects numbers of cattle in Guadeloupe, and which was described by the older writers as farcin du bœuf, has been carefully studied by Nocard. It is a disease of cattle characterized by a superficial lymphangitis and lymphadenitis, affecting the tracheal, axillary, prescapular, and other glands. The affected glands enlarge, suppurate, and discharge a creamy, sometimes a grumous, pus. The internal organs are often affected with a pseudo-tuberculosis whose central areas undergo a purulent or caseous degeneration.

In the researches of Nocard it was discovered, by staining by Gram's and by Kühne's methods, that in the centres of the tubercles micro-organisms could be defined. They resembled long delicate filaments rather intricately woven, characterized by distinct ramifications. which made clear the proper classification of the organism as a streptothrix. The organism was successfully cultivated by Nocard upon various culture-media at the temperature of the body. It is aërobic.

In bouillon the organism develops in the form of colorless masses irregular in size and shape, some of which float upon the surface, others of which sink to the bottom of the liquid. Sometimes the surface is covered by an irregular fenestrated pellicle of a gray color.

Upon agar-agar the growth develops in small, rather discrete, irregularly rounded, opaque masses of a yellowish-white color. The surfaces of the colonies are tuberculated, and an appearance somewhat like a lichen is observed.

Upon potato very dry scales of a pale-yellow color rapidly develop.

The growth upon blood-serum is less luxuriant, but similar to that upon agar-agar.

In milk the organism produces no coagulation by its growth, and does not alter the reaction.

Microscopic study always reveals the organism as the same tangled mass of filaments seen in the tissues. The old cultures are rich in spores, which are very small and develop upon the most superficial portions of the growth. These spores resist the penetration of stains to a rather unusual extent.

Cultures retain their virulence for a long time: Nocard found one virulent after it had been kept for four months in an incubating oven at 40° C.

The streptothrix of farcin du bœuf is pathogenic for guinea-pigs, cattle, and sheep; dogs, rabbits, horses, and asses are immune.

When the culture or some pus containing the microorganism is injected subcutaneously into a guinea-pig, a voluminous abscess results. Not long afterward the lymphatic vessels and glands of the region are the seat of swelling and induration, and extensive phlegmons form, which rupture externally and discharge considerable pus. The animal, of course, becomes extremely ill and seems about to die; instead, it slowly recovers its normal condition.

In other animals, as the cow and the sheep, the subcutaneous inoculation results in an abscess relatively less extensive. This ulcerates, then indurates, and seems to disappear, but after the lapse of several weeks or months opens again in the form of a new abscess.

In animals which are immune or nearly immune, like the horse, the ass, the dog, and the rabbit, the subcutaneous inoculation is followed by the formation of a small abscess which speedily cicatrizes.

Intraperitoneal inoculation in the guinea-pig gives rise to an appearance resembling tuberculosis. The omentum may be extensively involved and full of softened nodes.

The liver, spleen, and kidneys appear full of tubercles, but careful examination will satisfy the observer that the tubercles are only upon the peritoneal surfaces, not in the organs.

Intravenous introduction of the cultures produces a condition much resembling general miliary tuberculosis. All the organs contain the pseudo-tubercles in considerable numbers.