Emphysematous Anthrax. 191 



around the phlebotomy wound in the next seven animals operated 

 on. Another objection to phlebotomy is the tendency to a rapid 

 reproduction of blood, which the depletion brings about, and the 

 supervention of a greater danger than before, in the course of a 

 month or more. Purgatives and diuretics are somewhat less ob- 

 jectionable in this sense. Careful feeding to keep the animal con- 

 stantly in good condition does something to obviate sudden plethora 

 and its attendant dangers, and thus an allowance of grain or linseed 

 cake through winter and early spring, or when the pastures are 

 bare, will bring the animals through in fine condition , and ward 

 off the danger that comes from a sudden access of rich aliment. 



Another measure was the insertion of a seton in the dewlap. 

 The theory was to counteract plethora but the benefit probably 

 came rather from the formation of an actively granulating wound, 

 which came in contact with the ground and received the bacillus, 

 but in which the abundance of air, and of active leucocytes 

 checked the propagation of the germ and the occurrence of a 

 fatal infection. A certain grade of immunity was the natural re- 

 sult in many cases. 



Immunization. As the first attack of emphysematous anthrax 

 secures for the subject of it immunity against a second, we are 

 furnished with a reasonable basis for the practice of artificial im- 

 munization. This has been attained by a variety of methods, the 

 essential feature of each being the subjecting of the system of 

 the animal to be treated, to the action of the toxins of the 

 specific bacillus. 



1st. A culture of the bacillus made in the thermostat at 42 C. 

 (107. 6° F. ) so as to prevent the formation of spores is then steri- 

 lized by heating to ioo° C. for one hour and then injected sub- 

 cutem in a dose of 2 drams, to be repeated on the second day. 

 This, like all the other methods named should be done by some 

 one accustomed to bacteriological manipulation and the steriliza- 

 tion completed by superheating the neck of the vessel containing 

 the mixture. Any germs escaping on the hands, instruments or 

 other objects used will prove fatal in spite of all the appearance 

 of precautions. 



2d. Roux sterilized his cultures by filtering them through a 

 porcelain (Pasteur) filter and using only the filtrate for injection. 

 This requires even greater precaution in manipulation as what is 



