146 ANTHRAX AND ANTHRACOID DISEASES. 



History. 



Anthrax has a very ancient history, and was known in Asia 

 Minor at the period of the siege of Troy ; but, leaving ancient 

 history aside, it may be useful to mention that the seventeenth 

 and eighteenth centuries were remarkable for the devastations 

 committed by various epizootic outbreaks of anthrax. In 1617 

 it was prevalent and of such a fatal nature in the neighbourhood 

 of Naples, that over 60,000 persons perished through partaking 

 of the flesh of animals which had died of the disease. In 1731 

 it declared itself in several provinces of France, notably in 

 Auvergne, Bourbonnais, and in Languedoc, where it was studied 

 by Sauvages, and described by him under the term glosso- 

 anthrax (Nosologia Methodica, vol. ii. p. 300). 



1757, 1763, 1775, 1779, 1789, and 1800.— These years were 

 signalised by a charbonous malady which extended nearly all 

 over France, and affected all the domesticated animals. The 

 disease was studied by Bourgelat, Chabert, Berdin, Huyard, 

 Desplas, Detil, Gordine, Gilbert, and a great number of veteri- 

 narians. From 1800 to 1846 many outbreaks of charbonous 

 disease were observed, generally in the hottest months. They 

 were studied by Demoussy, Sansol, Pradal, D'Arboval, Mathieu, 

 and others. During more recent periods, outbreaks have been 

 studied by Roche-Lubin in Avignon ; by M. Rey on the heights 

 of the Alps ; and in Eure et Loire by the Medical Society of the 

 department ; and by MM. Renault and Delafond, who were sent 

 by the French Government, the one to Allier and Nievre, and 

 the other to Somme, to report on the disease. Within recent 

 years the disease has been profoundly studied by Pasteur, 

 Chauveau, and Koch, and others in France and Germany. In 

 this country, however, little has been done for its elucidation ; 

 and though less frequent here than on the Continent, it is, 

 however, quite as fatal in its character. 



Observers who have closely watched these affections in this 

 country, where it seldom appears in the horse, almost unani- 

 mously conclude that in cattle and sheep they are due to 

 dietetic errors ; more particularly to sudden and violent changes 

 in diet, whether that change be from a poor to a highly nutri- 

 tious, more particularly a nitrogenous diet ; from dry and good 

 food to watery, unripe provender ; to damaged food of any kind ; 

 the influence of undrained lands ; defective ventilation and 

 drainage of stables ; to food and water contaminated with the 

 morbid products of animals which have died of blood disease. 

 In one remarkable outbreak which came immediately under my 

 notice, the disease appeared amongst sucking calves of the pure 

 Shorthorn breed, and which had never partaken of other food 

 than what they obtained by sucking, the dams remaining 



