HUMAN BOTRYOMYCOSIS OF THE LIVER

The disease of horses subsequently known as botryomycosis was first described by Bollinger¹ in 1870. He found multiple grayish-white fibrous nodules in the lung of a horse. Areas of softening occurred within the nodules and in the pus were yellow white granules which were just visible and resembled the yellow granules of actinomycosis. Examined under the microscope these granules do not exhibit the characteristic appearance of the ``ray fungus,'' but are composed of coccus-like bodies surrounded by a homogeneous medium, which, regarded as a capsule, collects the microorganism into a zooglea mass. On the surface of the granule are rounded projections which give it a mulberry-like form. A disease characterized by the presence of this microorganism is not uncommon in horses and in some countries, particularly in the tropics, affects the human skin. The disease in man has not been described in this country and in none