DR. LEGEAR'S STOCK BOOK. 305 



Heavy rains may wash the seed into the ground as deep as the 

 water itself goes, but as long as they remain there of course they 

 are harmless. Now during dry weather the water is drawn up 

 through good soil from a very considerable depth, evaporated 

 and deposits on the surface whatever it brings up in it. Or dur- 

 ing light rains after a dry spell earth worms in seeking moisture 

 may bring the spores to the surface from the same depths. This 

 places the seed in suitable soil and temperature to sprout and 

 multiply at once, or they may find their way into the animal's 

 body still in the form of seed, therein germinate and develop an 

 epidemic. This explains why a long drouth followed by light 

 rains is characteristic of anthrax weather. 



The first discovery of the specific virus of anthrax was made by 

 Davaine in 1851. But it was left to M. Pasteur, the great French 

 scientist, who in 1877 defined the exact nature of the bacillus, 

 the manner of its production, and its exact relationship to an- 

 thrax, as the real cause of the disease. The anthrax bacilli may 

 be introduced into the body in three different ways: either 

 through the mouth or alimentary canal, through the respiratory 

 organs, or through the skin. When the infection takes place 

 through the skin it is usually introduced by the sting of some 

 insect, especially the large horsefly. This fly carries the poison 

 from the carcasses of the animals which have died of the disease 

 and simply inoculates it into the skin of live animals. The germs 

 may also be introduced into the system by coming in contact 

 with a wound or abrasion of the skin or mucous membrane. And 

 when it affects the digestive organs the germs of the disease are 

 usually taken into the body with the feed or water. 



Symptoms. The symptoms as a general thing are suddenly 

 developed and very alarming in character. An animal may be 

 left at night in apparently a state of perfect health and found 

 the next morning dead. Milk cows have been milked in the 

 morning and at noon found dead. Horses and mules will sue- 



