CASE OF MADURA FOOT?MYCETOMA.
By Surgeon K. M. Downie, M. P., Agency Surgeon, Ulwar. The pathology of Madura foot hiis lately excited some attention at home. I therefore forward this note in the hope of eliciting opinions and observations from tliose who have
with a considerable number of cases. On 19tli Mny, a man of about 30 years of age was admitted to the Ulwar dispensary. His left, foot was very considerably enlarged, and presented numerous diseases, some of which implicated the ankle joint. From these openings proceeded a tlii i discharge, frequently or usually containing black gritty particles. Severe local pain was complained of, and the patient's appearance was worn and somewhat cachectic. He stated the disease to have commenced about three years previously. Amputation was performed at the lower third of the leg on 30th May. The man made a good recovery. After removal the diseased foot presented to the naked eye appearances very similar to those in a preparation ill the Netley Museum, noted as a typical specimen. The synovial membrane of the ankle and intertarsal joints was thickened and gelatinous in appearance, while ilie bones were softened so as to ndmit of section with a knife without, the use of great force. There were numerous granular masses of black material in close relation to the joints and involving the bones ; these were tolerably defined and associated witli some caseous matter, but not apparently contained by any investing envelope. I forwarded some of the morbid material to Dr. D.D. Cunningham, who very kindly examined it, but could find no trace of fungal life ; nor, in as far as his experience goes, is the I have asked presence of a fungus ever other than accidental. him to be good enough to add a note of the microscopical appearances observed by him. 9th November 1873. met.
Note.?The material referred to was carefully examined, both by Mr. T. R. Lewis and myself. The specimens abounded in fatty crystals, oil-globules, and myelone-tubes, presenting many appearances which might very readily have been ascribed to the presence of fungal elements, until their true nature was revealed by the use of appropriate re-agents; but neither spores, mycelium, nor
cells of
a
really fungoid nature
were
detected in any instance.? D. D. C.
By Surgeon K. M. Downie, M. P., Agency Surgeon, Ulwar. The pathology of Madura foot hiis lately excited some attention at home. I therefore forward this note in the hope of eliciting opinions and observations from tliose who have
with a considerable number of cases. On 19tli Mny, a man of about 30 years of age was admitted to the Ulwar dispensary. His left, foot was very considerably enlarged, and presented numerous diseases, some of which implicated the ankle joint. From these openings proceeded a tlii i discharge, frequently or usually containing black gritty particles. Severe local pain was complained of, and the patient's appearance was worn and somewhat cachectic. He stated the disease to have commenced about three years previously. Amputation was performed at the lower third of the leg on 30th May. The man made a good recovery. After removal the diseased foot presented to the naked eye appearances very similar to those in a preparation ill the Netley Museum, noted as a typical specimen. The synovial membrane of the ankle and intertarsal joints was thickened and gelatinous in appearance, while ilie bones were softened so as to ndmit of section with a knife without, the use of great force. There were numerous granular masses of black material in close relation to the joints and involving the bones ; these were tolerably defined and associated witli some caseous matter, but not apparently contained by any investing envelope. I forwarded some of the morbid material to Dr. D.D. Cunningham, who very kindly examined it, but could find no trace of fungal life ; nor, in as far as his experience goes, is the I have asked presence of a fungus ever other than accidental. him to be good enough to add a note of the microscopical appearances observed by him. 9th November 1873. met.
Note.?The material referred to was carefully examined, both by Mr. T. R. Lewis and myself. The specimens abounded in fatty crystals, oil-globules, and myelone-tubes, presenting many appearances which might very readily have been ascribed to the presence of fungal elements, until their true nature was revealed by the use of appropriate re-agents; but neither spores, mycelium, nor
cells of
a
really fungoid nature
were
detected in any instance.? D. D. C.
