278 ANTHRAX, OK CARBUNCULAR FEVEK. 



turnips, and allowing turnips, straw, and other food ad libi- 

 tum to stall-fed cattle. 



Fourth, When animals are on rich pastures, and have 

 access to a very abundant supply of rich artificial food, they 

 are apt to die more readily; and this is especially the case 

 with sheep, at the periods of full moon, when they eat night 

 and day, and die off in great numbers. 



Fifth, The majority of the animals are seized at night- 

 time, and die in the morning. This is more particularly the 

 case when the nights are cold, when winds, sleet, and snow 

 tend to check the cutaneous exhalation and favour internal 

 congestions. 



Sixth, Hill stock is destroyed to a great extent for want 

 of proper shelter, and the sudden variations in the weather 

 are ill borne by animals forced on the system of feeding in 

 this country. 



I have not found that bad food, deficient ventilation, 

 over-crowding, noxious plants, and similar causes, operate 

 in the production of anthrax in the United Kingdom. The 

 most virulent forms occur in the summer months and in 

 the hottest seasons. The anthrax poison is then developed 

 even as far north as Aberdeen. The tendency to the develop- 

 ment of this poison has been on the increase, as proved by 

 the death of pigs and dogs that have eaten portions of animals 

 that have died of anthrax. Human beings have also suffered, 

 and fatal results have been witnessed. This I state on the 

 authority of Dr Keith, of Aberdeen. 



Interesting observations as to the circumstances under 

 which carbuncular fevers occur have been made of late years 

 in Belgium, where the Government attends to the collection 

 of statistics referring to diseases of the lower animals. In 

 the Bulletin du Conseil Supfrieur a" Agriculture for 1858, 

 under the head of ' Charbon/ it is said, that of all the pro- 



