NORTH AMERICAN BLASTOMYCOSIS (GILCHRIST'S DISEASE)

Abstract

WITH the exception of actinomycosis, systemic mycotic infections have been rarely reported from Canada. The ease with which such diseases may be misdiagnosed, as occurred in the case to be reported in a subsequent publication, would appear to be sufficient justification for presenting a review of the subject of blastomycosis. DEFINITION OF FUNGI Lewis and Hopper¹ gave the following description: Fungi are microscopic members of the plant kingdom. They are included in the phyllum of Thallophyta, in which there is no differentiation into roots, stem and leaves. Structurally, they consist of vegetative elements and of fructification, or spore, forms. The vegetative filamentous structures are irregularly segmented and show some variation in form, according to the species. This is the form in which fungi are chiefly present in the human body. The structures connected with fructification are more specific, forming the basis for the identification of species. They are rarely