ANTHRAX AND ANTHRACOID DISEASES. 153 



cats, and ferrets succumb after partaking of food and water 

 contaminated Avith the virus. 



The local effects of inoculation of the skin with anthrax blood 

 are as follows: — In twenty-four hours there is redness of the spot, 

 with heat, swelling of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, extend- 

 ing from a third of an inch to an inch in depth. 



The swelling increases in forty-eight hours to perhaps two 

 inches, and on the third day, if the animal survive, to several 

 inches; the heat and redness being most intense at the 

 inoculated spot. The process extends in the connective tissue, 

 particularly along the track of the lymphatics. In superficial 

 inoculations bacilli can be seen in every instance in twenty-four 

 hours, at a distance only of about one-fourth of an inch, but 

 their after extension is not proportionate to the- extent of the 

 tumefaction, nor does the serum found in the swelling contain 

 many of them until after forty-eight hours, when great 

 quantities will be found in it; when the virus is injected into 

 the subcutaneous tissue death may occur without bacilli being 

 found at the point of injection. 



The production of the disease by inoculation, particularly 

 with cultivated spores, is a strong proof in its favour; but, on 

 the other hand, there exists the fact that the disease is often 

 produced by over-feeding, even on food of good quality, unless 

 indeed it can be proved that the spores or bacilli are contained 

 in the food or atmosphere ; but at the same time it must not be 

 forgotten that the bacilli are seemingly not present until the 

 disease has made considerable progress, until in fact the animal 

 is at the point of death, when its temperature is considerably 

 diminished; that (according to Dr Cossar Ewart) the develop- 

 ment of the bacilli is at once checked by a temperature of from 

 37° to 40' C. (96°-36 to 104° F., the natural temperature of the 

 ox being about 102° F.); and judging by the results of the 

 experiments of Bert, and having knowledge of a remarkable 

 outbreak amongst calves which had never tasted any food but 

 what milk they sucked, the dams being healthy, one is forced 

 to the conclusion that the disease is due to a virus which 

 renders the blood a fit habitat for this peculiar organism, 

 between the spores of which and the virus there seems to be an 

 almost indestructible affinity. 



The process by which a virus is developed may be analogous 

 to what takes place in the conversion of grape sugar into alcohol 

 and carbonic acid. 



Here we have, first of all, a solution of an organic compound — 

 sugar — CgHjgOe^ ^^^' second, a vegetable organism — the yeast 

 plant — which, when added to the solution of sugar, reproduces 

 itself, grows, develops new generations, and during this genera- 

 tive or reproductive process alters the constitution of the 



