348 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



examinations sliowinii- all the clinical appearances of anthrax, and 

 mici'oscopic examination of blood from the organs verifviny the 

 diagnosis. 



In the case of food stuffs from a locality where anthrax has pre- 

 vailed, the spores contained in the soil may attach themselves to the 

 plant, or plants^ or some of the infected soil may adhere to them, as in 

 the case of root crops such as tnrni[)s and ])otatoes. Again, water 

 receiving the drainage from high lands which have been affected with 

 anthrax, may cause an outbreak miles away from the primarily 

 affected spot ; or water receiving the drainage from fellmongeries 

 treating wool from sheep which have died from anthrax. 



Pasteur's theory that the spores were brought to the surface by 

 earth worms, and hence diffused by this means, though considered 

 untenable by Koch, has been supported by experiments showing that 

 5 per cent, of the earth worms from an anthrax pasture sent to him 

 were found to contain the contagium of anthrax. ( )tlu'r experimenters 

 have proved that anthrax spores may be disseminated l)y slugs and 

 insects. 



IXFECTION D\ THE SkiX. 



In Corowa district (New South A\'ales) cases have occurred of men 

 becoming infected through the bite of a Hy, as the spore was trans- 

 mitted by this means. 



On untanned skins and hides from infected animals, the larvje of 

 the skin worm excrete the spores in their fteces, and tlie hides, being 

 moved about, become vehicles for the diffusion of disease. 



Infection by the skin is not so common as in the preceding* 

 instance, and is alluded to as " Carbuncle.'^ In such cases the bacilli 

 gain entrance through wounds on the skin, or nmcous meml)rane of 

 the mouth, anus, or vuha, while the animals are grazing, infected 

 utensils, dog bites, bleeding with instruments used on infected animals 

 in operations, such as castration, or the opening of abscesses and 

 tumours. 



Bollinger produced anthrax in rabbits by inoculating them with 

 flies which had been caught on the carcase of a beast that had died 

 from anthrax, and Machreoff records experiments showing anthrax 

 has been produced in guinea-pigs by rubbing their skins with anthrax 

 cultures, as showing the vitality of the spores; whilst Friedberger 

 states they are even present on tanned skins. 



Infection by Inhalation. 



By this form of infection the spores penetrate through the lungs 

 into the body, and although the rarest form of infection, Feser and 

 other authorities have demonstrated by experiment that healthy 

 organs of breathing can be infected in this manner. 



It may even be possible that the disease can be transmitted fi'om 

 the mother to the foetus. Latis, as the result of fifteen experiments 

 on guinea-pigs, succeeded in transmitting anthrax to the foetus in 

 eight cases. 



