In the rich river bottom lands of northern Germany and Russia where
actinomyces abound actinomycosis is common in the form of papillæ of
greater or lesser size on the lips and nose of horse and ox. The
abrasion of these parts by thorns, thistles, stubble, dry fibrous
fodders and other irritants, appears to produce a raw surface for the
colonization of the germ, which is not slow to avail of the opportunity.
The resulting lesions take the appearance of warty looking elevations,
more or less indurated, which on section show the sulphur yellow
actinomyces tufts of club-shaped cells converging to a central mycelial
mass.
_Treatment_ is simple as the disease is at first essentially local, and
is easily checked by the local application of iodine. The wartlike
elevations may be shaved off with a razor or cut off with sharp scissors
and the surface painted once or twice daily with tincture of iodine. If
there is suspicion of distant or deepseated actinomycosis the internal
treatment with potassium iodide will be in order.