Page:Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, volume 1.djvu/312

 rarity of free spores ; in fact, in several cases I did not succeed in finding any spores at all.

The mycelium is fairly abundant, though far from being as plentiful as in Tinea imhricata. It is composed of long straight articulated threads, which are sometimes dichoto- mous, the breadth being between 3 and 8| microns. No aspergillar fructifications nor clusters of spores can be seen, and so far I have not succeeded in growing the fungus.

Differential Diagnosis. — Pityriasis Versicolor. — When the eruption is in the very first stage it might be mistaken for a form of tropical pityriasis versicolor. In pityriasis, however, the epidermis does not split ; moreover, in Tinea intersecta the fungus is not found on the surface, it grows between the superficial and deep layers of the epidermis.

Tinea Imbricata.

This affection begins somewhat similarly to Tinea inter- secta, with dark brown patches, and the fungus in both eruptions growing between the superficial and deep layers of the epidermis. In contrast to Tinea imhricata, however, the eruption of Tinea intersecta never develops in concentric rings ; it is far less severe, as patches often heal spontaneously, and it is cured without much difficulty. I have had at the same time, in the clinic, cases of Tinea imhricata and Tinea intersecta: the two eruptions could not possibly be confounded.

Treatment. — Tr. iodine and the usual antiseptic ointments answer well.

Tinea Nigro-circinata.

I have recently come across two cases of a peculiar trichophytosis which has not yet, to my knowledge, been described. Both patients were Singhalese. The disease in