Bollinger (1877) and Nocard (1888) discovered the organisms Actinomyces and Streptothrix or Nocardia, respectively, in animals. Later, Wolff and Israel (1891) and Eppinger (1890) found similar organisms in human beings. Thereafter, from time to time, many publications have appeared giving data useful for the identification of organisms of this type. The literature is very extensive.
Sometime ago, an organism of this general character was isolated from a patient at St. Luke's Hospital, Chicago. Baugher,1 at that time, recorded the history and gave a brief description of the organism. The strain was put aside for the purpose of making a more complete experimental study at a later time.
SOURCE OF THE ORGANISM
This organism was isolated from a woman, aged about 55, who complained of subcutaneous abscesses localized chiefly on the extremities, which she attributed to wounds made by the prick of rose thorns and cactus plants, with which she