No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 105 



ANTHRAX 



Anthrax appeared iu 19 counties during the year 1914: and in four 

 less during the following year. A greater number of vaccinations 

 have been made than in previous years; not because of an increase 

 in infected farms, but for the reason that owners adjoining infected 

 premises were advised to have their stock vaccinated. In several 

 instances, where a stream of water was judged to have been the 

 source of infection, the stock located on both sides of the stream was 

 vaccinated. With a single exception the eleven hundred animals vac- 

 cinated on seventy-five farms iu 1915 were protected from infection. 

 In 1915 twelve hundred and five head were vaccinated on seventy- 

 seven farms. No deaths from anthrax followed vaccination, but fif- 

 teen head died before it was done. 



It is highly gratifying to note that the annual spring vaccinations 

 are meeting Avith marked success in the suppression of this disease. 

 The same method of vaccination, namely, that perfected by Pasteur, 

 has been employed as during previous years, and we shall undoubt- 

 edly continue its use until some more practical or efficient method 

 has been found. 



It is claimed that success has been obtained by the use of anthrax 

 vaccine No. 2 simultaneously with the injection of an anthrax serum 

 prepared from horses immunized against this disease. This method 

 is being investigated and, if found practical, it may be substituted 

 for the plan in use at present. It is said to be less dangerous and has 

 the advantage of being administered in one instead of two doses as is 

 necessary with the Pasteur method. 



A total number of 39 specimens of suspected anthrax from differ- 

 ent sources were forwarded to the laboratory for examination. The 

 majority of these specimens consisted of one or both ears of the 

 dead animals, shipped in mason jars. The examination consisted of : 



1. Examination of smears of blood. 



2. Examination of 24-hour cultures on agar agar. 



3. Diagnostic inoculations. 



Past experience has shown that the anthrax bacillus is too easily 

 confounded with the non-pathogenic bacillus subtilis to permit of a 

 diagnosis on microscopical examinations alone and for this reason 

 we usually wait for twenty-four-hour cultures before rendering a 

 report. 



The following table shows the number of lierds and cattle vaccin- 

 ated and the results: 



