ON FEVEES AMONGST HOKSES, GA.TTLE, ETC. 261 



affected part a secoud crop of vesicles form, and the skin assumes 

 an erysipelatous condition, and in this way fresh areas of tissues 

 are invaded, during which the absorbents in the neighbourhood 

 become inflamed from the conveyance of the multiplying poison ; 

 the breath also becomes foetid, and death rapidly follows with all 

 the evidences of a septic or putrid blood poisoning. 



The disease is communicated in various ways, (a) By direct 

 inoculation, more particularly to those who are employed to cut 

 up the carcases of animals affected with anthrax. It does not 

 appear that an open wound, scratch, or abrasion of the skin are 

 essential for perfect inoculation, as instances are on record 

 that blood falling upon the face or any uncovered skin have pro- 

 duced all the effects as we have described, (h) The flesh of 

 diseased animals improperly cooked will convey the disease 

 malignant pustule to man, while other animals of the same and 

 different species, as the horse, deer, sheep, pig, and dog, contract 

 a rapid and fatal form of blood poisoning, probably through 

 absorption from the surface of mucous membranes. There are, 

 however, exceptions to these statements, as, for instance, when 

 the flesh of certain animals has been allowed to remain ex- 

 posed to the air or thoroughly cooked, the poison appears to have 

 been destroyed. Such, however, require confirmation before we can 

 recommend the use of such flesh as animal food for man. It is 

 related by Trousseau that twenty-six persons died in ten years 

 from malignant pustule contracted during the working up of 

 horse hair, which liad been imported .from Buenos Ayres. Dr 

 Budd also states that the virus of tbe disease, when in a dried 

 state, will retain its properties for an indefinite time, thus the hair, 

 hoofs, horns, flesh, fat, and tallow of animals which have died of 

 " charbon " may communicate malignant pustule to man. (c) 

 Insects, especially such as are provided with probosces, as gad 

 flies, may convey the disease, first sucking the flesh, offal, &c., of 

 affected cattle, &c., and afterwards piercing the skin of man; and 

 flies, by simply alighting, may convey it by soiled wings and 

 feet. 



There is likewise a great similarity in some of the forms of disease 

 in man which result from paludal (marsh) poisoning and certain 

 anthrax maladies of animals. They are, however, not common 

 in Britain. In other countries, as India, chiefly owing to the 

 undrained and malarious character of the soil, morbid alterations 

 of the structure of the liver and spleen are prevalent. The 

 latter organ has been found to be so enlarged as to weigh from 

 ten to thirty pounds, and sometimes to be a mere bag of blood, 

 signs which bear some resemblance to the splenic apoplexy of 

 cattle and sheep. 



In the disease of swine known as hog cholera, otherwise 

 iyphus, erysipelas carlunculosum, g astro-enteritis, &c., and vul- 



