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348 THE MICRO-OROANISMS OF THE HUMAN MOUTH.

naturally favors tlie proliferation of the fungus. It grows best
on the juicy, porous plaster-epithelium, and its chief seat of vege-
tation is therefore the mucous membrane of the oral and pharyn-
geal cavities and of the oesophagus as far as the cardia ; further-
more, that of the vulva, vagina, and anal orifice. But it also
occurs in the nasal cavity, larynx, trachea, and bronchi, on the
male genitals, and the nipples of the breast. The growth of this
fungus is, as a rule, restricted to the mucous membrane, only
exceptionally penetrating into the connective tissue or blood-
vessels, so that the observation of Zenker, who found elements
of the thrush-fungus in the interior of multiple abscesses of the
brain of a child, still stands alone.
Klemperer, by bringing pure cultures of the thrush-fungus
into the circulation of rabbits, succeeded in producing a general
thrush infection, which, however, was no more accompanied by
suppuration and abscess-formation, than the natural infection in
the mouth, so that the observation of Zenker is probably to be
accounted for by a mix-infection (Baumgarten).
The proliferation on the usually more or less inflamed mucous
membrane of the mouth first appears in the form of millet-seed-
sized, isolated and scattered white dots.
By the development of other centers of growth, or by the en-
largement or junction of adjacent growths, a continuous thrush-
membrane is produced which may line the entire oral cavity
and firmly adhere to the mucous membrane. The fungal pro-
liferation spreads itself from the oral to the pharyngeal cavity,
and in rare eases also to the oesophagus ; sometimes even to the
mucous membrane of the stomach, to the nasal cavity, and the
larynx.
The fungi may multiply to such an extent in the oesophagus
that its entire lumen becomes filled, making the introduction of
food impossible. If the growth extends to the larynx, hoarse-
ness ensues, sometimes even want of breath. According to
Biihl and Virchow, the aspiration of thrush-masses may lead to
bronchitis and pneumonia.
The treatment of thrush must be chiefly prophylactic, — good
air, good food, above all the removal of any fermentable sub-
stances fi:-om the nursery and proper cleaning of the mouth after