Actinomycosis / by Frederic Eve.

  • Eve, Frederick Samuel, Sir, 1853-1916.
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Actinomycosis / by Frederic Eve. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    and when occurring in the form of nodules in the internal organs, as scrofula or tubercle. I could point out at least three specimens in our museums, so described. The true nature of the malady was discovered in cattle, in 1877, by Bollinger; and two years later, Ponfick of Breslau established the fact of its occurrence in man. I may briefly state that it belongs to the large group known to pathologists as the infective granulomata/ the infective element being a peculiar vegetable fungus, the growth and distribution of Avhich are associated with tumours formed of granulation-tissue. The fungus gains access to the body by means of a lesion of some mucous membrane or of the skin. A primary tumour is thus established from which general dissemination may take place by means of the blood and lymphatic vessels, just as in cancer or tubercle. I am able, in some measure, to illustrate the morbid anatomy of actinomycosis by means of a series ^ of preparations from the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons (Nos. 22.54 B, c, D, and 2274 B, c). This lower jaw of a heifer shows well the external form of the disease. It may be seen that there is a general ej^pansion of the horizontal ramus such as might be due to the growth of a central tumour. In the next specimen of a lower jaw, a vertical section has been made to show its interior. The bone is expanded and infiltrated by a pale medulla-like substance which is punctated or dotted with numerous minute cavities. The growth infiltrates widely, and in some places has completely penetrated the jaw. The gum on the outer side of the teeth is thickened; and passing down through it into the substance of the bone are two sinuses marked by pieces of glass rod. These lead to the uppermost extension of the morbid growth, and it may have been tlirough one of them that the fungus gained access to the interior of the bone. On pressing a section of the growth, worm-like masses of pultaceous material could be expressed from the small cavities above mentioned. This material, on examination under the microscope, was found to contain large numbers of actinomycetes, ^ See Zicgler's Pathological Anatomy, by Dr. JfacAHster, vol. i. art. 134. * The specimens from cattle were ]iresoiite(l by Mr. A. Liiiganl, ami I described and showed them at tlie Pathological Society for liim iii 1886.