246 ON FEVEltS AMONGST HORSES, CATTLE, ETC. 



It must be admitted that the evidence of cause in the production 

 of anthrax, either as malignant septic fevers, or as tlie milder 

 forms of black-quarter, &c., upon soils and in localities apparently 

 so widely different in their general characters, is very conflicting. 

 It likewise appears very uncertain whether miasma can be 

 looked upon as a never- failing cause ; therefore, we must view 

 Math suspicion such conditions that are invarialjly present, as 

 they are modified by temperature, drought and moisture, season, 

 altitude, mode of culture, &c. Thus, for instance, all influences 

 which promote decomposition, and, at the same time, tend 

 to retain the elements of putrefaction unchanged, the soil being 

 unable to appropriate the animal and vegetable substances 

 which form the subjects of sucli chemical change, should receive 

 greatest attention. Eetentive soils, as clays, &c., and others 

 liaving a non-porous substrata, require deep drainage ; heavily 

 manured pastures and lands may be benefited by lime-dressing, 

 and in the higher localities, wlien food and water become respec- 

 tively dry and scarce, and what also is not improbable, very 

 inferior and impure, change of grazing ground should be made, 

 and if artificial food is resorted to, it should be given sparingly 

 at first, and liberal allowances of water ensured. 



Before we quit this part of the subject it may be interesting 

 to notice a few facts in reference to the prevalence of black- 

 quarter among animals in Xorth Leicestershire and borders of 

 Derbyshire. A considerable tract of the lowland used as pasture 

 consists of strong retentive soil in a bed of clay, very little of 

 which is drained. It is exceedingly rich and fertile, and con- 

 siderable sums of money are paid as rent. A bullock and a 

 sheep are grazed upon each acre of land, and such is the M^ell- 

 known quality that these are fatted off twice in the year. The 

 soil of the hills is very inferior, and as the young stock are 

 transferred from high land to the luxuriant meadows without 

 due caution, the mortality from black-quarter is often very 

 extreme. Deep drainage of the meadows, and the moderate 

 application of manures to the high limestone land, together with 

 a sensible allowance of substantial food in winter to the young 

 stock entirely averts these consequences. 



Temperature. — Incidental allusions to this subject have already 

 been made under previous heads, but we have yet to add a few 

 other particulars with reference to heat and cold, &c. These 

 cannot, however, be viewed always as direct causes of anthrax ; 

 they are doubtless not without great and powerful effects, but in 

 all cases require the operation of other agencies. Thus warm, 

 foggy weather seems highly favourable to the anthrax state, and 

 from this being alike productive in the development of many 

 forms of animal life, together with the fact that hacfcruloo 

 animalcules, are found in the blood and diseased vesicles of the 



