No. 1. DEPARTMENT OF AGHICULTURE. 73 



The germs of anthrax are carried from place to place in many 

 ways. The principle mode of transmission is through the transfer 

 of the products from animals that have died of anthrax. Generally, 

 this influence operates only in the injmediate neighborhood of the 

 place where the animal died, or where its carcass may have been 

 deposited. Sometimes, however, parts of anthrax carcasses are car- 

 ried long distances, as in the case of hides. Many instances have 

 been recorded, and some have occurred in this State, wherein anthrax 

 has been propagated in previously uninfected neighborhoods, by 

 infectious material from hides. Streams draining tanneries have 

 carried anthrax bacilli several miles. There is good reason for the 

 belief that anthrax may be distributed by birds that feed upon 

 carrion. Fertilizers containing shavings of hides, hair or w^ool refuse 

 may also be the means of bringing anthrax bacili to new territory. 

 Some English and Danish investigations point to the probability that 

 anthrax bacilli are, in some instances, carried in cotton seed meal. 

 It is well known that anthrax prevails extensively in some of the 

 cotton-growing districts of the lower Mississippi Valley, and it is 

 possible that anthrax bacilli may enter and be conveyed with the 

 solid product of the cotton seed. At least one outbreak of anthrax 

 in England, causing the death of a number of horses, resulted from 

 the importation of infested oats from Siberia. It has been shown 

 conclusively that hay and other forage grown upon land infested 

 with anthrax bacilli may carry these disease germs. In view of 

 these several possible modes of transmission, there is no occasion 

 for surprise in the fact that anthrax occasionally occurs upon farms 

 in districts where the disease was previously unknown. 



Since the spores of anthrax bacilli in the soil retain their life and 

 virulence for many years, it is of the greatest importance that each 

 fresh outbreak shall be so treated that the soil may not become con- 

 taminated, thus seeding a new center from which the disease may 

 spread for a series of years. 



On account of the importance of this subject, advice has repeat- 

 edly been given in these reports to dispose of anthrax carcasses so 

 as to completely destroy the disease germs that they contain, and 

 to apply disinfectants to the premises contaminated by the diseased 

 animals or from the carcass, in such a way as to kill any anthrax 

 bacilli that may have escaped. The best method of disposing of 

 such carcasses is by means of cremation, directions for which have 

 been given in previous reports. The best disinfectant for use in kill- 

 ing anthrax is a six per cent, solution of formalin, applied freely, 

 so that every part of the possibly contaminated surface may be 

 reached by the solution. 



After the soil has become contaminated, it is dangerous to pasture 

 cattle upon it or to feed the forage grown upon it to susceptible ani- 

 mals for many years. Under such conditions, if the farm is to con- 

 tinue in use for general farm purposes, it becomes necessary to vac- 

 cinate, and thus to immunize against anthrax, all cattle upon the 

 place. During the past year, 797 cattle have been vaccinated against 

 anthrax on farms where 37 cattle and a number of sheep and hogs 

 died during the year. 



The most extensive outbreak of anthrax that occurred in the 

 State during the last year was in the vicinity of Bernville, Berks 

 county. It appears that an unidentified disease, which was prob 

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