iphtheria and thrush
have been referred to the devastations of fungi, whereas diphtheria
certainly may and does occur without any trace of fungi. Fevers may
sometimes be accompanied by fungoid bodies in the evacuations, but it
is very difficult to determine them. The whole question of epidemic
diseases being caused by the presence of fungi seems based on most
incomplete evidence. Dr. Salisbury was of opinion that camp measles
was produced by _Puccinia graminis_, the pseudospores of which
germinated in the damp straw, disseminated the resultant secondary
bodies in the air, and caused the disease. This has never been
verified. Measles, too, has been attributed freely, as well as
scarlatina,[H] to fungal influences, and the endeavours to implicate
fungi in being the cause of cholera have been pertinaciously
persevered in with no conviction. The presence of certain cysts, said
to be those of _Urocystis_, derived from rice, was announced by Dr.
Hallier, but when it was shown that no such fungus was found on rice,
this phase of the theory collapsed. Special and competent experts were
sent from this country to examine the preparations and hear the
explanations of Dr. Hallier on his theory of cholera contagion, but
they were neither convinced nor satisfied.

As long ago as 1853, Dr. Lauder Lindsay examined and reported on
cholera evacuations, and in 1856 he declared--"It will be evident that
I can see no satisfactory groundwork for the fungus theory of cholera,
which I am not a little surprised to find still possesses powerful
advocates."[I] And of the examinations undertaken by him he
writes:--"The mycelium and sporules of various species of fungi,
constituting various forms of vegetable mould, were found in the scum
of the vomit, as well as of the stools, but only at some stage of
decomposition. They are found, however, under similar circumstances,
in the vomit and stools of other diseases, and, indeed, in all
decomposing animal fluids, and they are therefore far from peculiar to
cholera."

Some writers have held that the atmosphere is often highly charged
with fungi spores, others have denied the presence of organic bodies
to any extent in the air. The experiments conducted in India by Dr.
Cunningham[J] have been convincing enough on this point. This report
states that spores and similar cells were of constant occurrence, and
were generally present in considerable numbers. That the majority of
the cells were living and re