ANTHRAX. 265 



INFECTIOUS DISEASES WHICH HAVE BEEN AS- 

 CRIBED TO THE PRESENCE OF BACTERIA. 



ANTHRAX ; Charbon, Fr., Mfltsbrand, Ger. 

 This is an infectious disease of animals which may 

 be transmitted to man by inoculation. This occurs, 

 occasionally, from the bite of an insect (fly) which 

 has been feeding upon the carcass of an infected 

 animal ; and also from accidental inoculation while 

 handling hides, wool, etc., taken from the victims 

 of anthrax. 



The herbivora are most susceptible to anthrax; 

 and in certain parts of Europe the annual losses 

 from this disease, among the herds and flocks of 

 the farmers, are very considerable. 



The susceptibility of the carnivora to this and 

 other forms of septicaemia is very much less than 

 that of the herbivora. This difference is probably 

 due to natural selection ; for the bodies of herbiv- 

 orous animals, dead from anthrax, have doubtless 

 been devoured by the carnivora from the earliest 

 times (anthrax was known to the Greek and Roman 

 physicians) ; and, although inoculation is not liable 

 to occur through the uninjured mucous membrane 

 of the mouth, or of the intestine, it could scarcely 

 fail to occur as a result of wounds inflicted by the 

 teeth and claws of the contestants for the infected 



