Annual Report for 1914 of Royal Veterinary College. 253 



two animals. These facts are not consistent with persistent 

 soil infection, but suggest an exotic source for many of the 

 outbreaks ; and, as has been pointed out in previous reports, 

 there is a good deal of evidence to prove that the spores of 

 anthrax are not infrequently present in imported feeding 

 stuffs, such as oats, maize, linseed, cotton seed and the 

 corresponding cakes. 



The available information does not enable one to say whether 

 the fluctuations in the frequency of outbreaks during the last 

 four years have been determined by variations in the amount 

 of such infectious materials imported and consumed ; but, 

 assuming that the figures give a fairly accurate measure of 

 the incidence of the disease, the supposition appears more 

 probable than any other. 



Fortunately, the increase in the number of outbreaks during 

 the past year is not serious, and, as in all previous years, the 

 average number of animals attacked in each outbreak was less 

 than two. 



The fact that in this country anthrax so frequently breaks 

 new ground increases the likelihood that the first case in an 

 outbreak may be overlooked owing to lack of experience on 

 the part of the owner or his servants. Hence, it cannot be 

 too strongly emphasised that, however free a farm may have 

 been from the disease in the past, anthrax should immediately 

 be suspected and reported when a bovine animal or a horse is 

 found dead or dies after a very brief illness for which there is 

 no obvious cause. 



Glanders. 



The following Table shows the incidence of this disease 

 during the last eight years : — 



The past year has been very satisfactory, as it has continued 

 the decline which has been in progress since the present 

 Glanders Order came into operation, viz., on January 1, 1908. 

 Under this Order mallein is systematically employed for 

 diagnosis in stables in which a case of the disease has been 

 detected, and reacting horses are slaughtered, with compen- 

 sation to their owners. A year ago there appeared to be good 

 grounds for hoping that the disease would soon be stamped out 

 altogether, but the outbi-eak of war has made that prospect 



