ANTHRAX, OR CARBUNCULAR FEVER. 283 



unfortunately the seat of great mortality amongst human 

 beings. Fevers have been rife, and diphtheria deadly. One 

 man, a shepherd, was dressing a sheep's foot, and scratched 

 his arm. The result has been a severe malignant pustule or 

 phlegmon, which has very nearly terminated fatally. 



Amongst the observations indicating that heat is essential 

 to the full development of the anthrax poison, are some com- 

 municated by Luseau to the Socie'te' Ve'terinaire de Lot et 

 Garonne in 1852. Luseau had seen dogs eating with im- 

 punity the flesh of oxen that had died of the disease in spring 

 and autumn, whereas others died after eating such flesh in 

 the hot months of summer. 



My inquiries in Holland indicated that anthrax is confined 

 to Friesland and North Holland. It is there prevalent in 

 very damp districts, and it is very fatal in hot seasons. In 

 " Notes on Cuba, by a Physician," Heusinger tells us that it is 

 reported that cattle die in large numbers of gangrene, or the 

 malignant pustule of the French, and the blacks are often 

 infected and die. This is especially observed in hot seasons, 

 and from the months of June to November. 



I have seen various forms of anthrax in the marshy plains 

 of the Papal States during the summer months, especially 

 in July, August, and September. The activity of the de- 

 veloped poison was very great, and one instance more parti- 

 cularly struck me. One of the fine white bullocks of the 

 Roman States was conveyed in a cart to the slaughter house 

 at Ferrara, in the month of August 1854. Professor Maffei 

 condemned the animal as being affected with carbuncular 

 fever. The animal was buried, but a jobber determined to 

 sell the flesh, and during the night disinterred the carcass. 

 He removed the meat in bags to a hiding-place, and in doing 

 so carried the bags over his shoulders. He had thrown off 

 his jacket and set to work in his shirt. Next morning a 



