182 ANTHRAX. 



be said to be confined to any particular district or territory ; 

 thougli these are, however, sufficient to render the causes of 

 production distinctly abiding and extremely virulent when 

 brought into action. 



We shall again draw attention to these when treating of the 

 aetiology of the disease. 



General Characters and Nature. 



Definition. — As a short definition or description of anthrax 

 we 'may with propriety say it is an acute infective disease, 

 generally enzootic, characterized by the rapidity of its develop- 

 ment, generally fatal termination, and by the visible alterations 

 in the blood, which is viscid, dark-coloured, and indisposed to 

 coagulate, and which in many cases before death is croiuded 

 with minute organisms known as bacteria, believed to be of 

 vegetable origin, and capable of inducing a similarly diseased 

 condition tuhen introduced into the blood of many other 

 creatures. 



The universality of its distribution geographically, and its 

 disposition to attack all animals, are among its most prominent 

 features. All animals which domestication has placed under 

 our care seem liable to its influence, though of these probably 

 the larger ruminants are most susceptible, while solipeds 

 manifest the tendency in a much less marked degree. Out of 

 the pale of domestication the same species exhibit similar 

 predisposition, while in anthrax districts the smaller feral 

 creatures, with birds and fishes, are said to be not unfrequently 

 affected. Inoculation with material from any one species of 

 animal under the other requisite conditions will produce the 

 disease in another, and in its treatment we must consider these 

 matters of grave importance ; indeed, anthrax cannot be studied 

 out of the region of comparative pathology. 



Though, as we have remarked, anthrax is not confined to 

 any particular soil or climate, it stands beyond dispute, as the 

 result of observation and experiment, that certain conditions 

 connected with these have a great influence in its development 

 and spread. Great manurial or organic richness, moistvu-e, 

 and an elevated temperature are in the highest degree 

 favourable. 



