558 BACTERIOLOGY. 



oedema may become so intense that gangrene results; 

 such cases usually prove fatal. 



The bacilli are found on microscopical examination 

 of the fluid from the pustule shortly after infection; 

 later the typical anthrax bacilli are often replaced by 

 involution forms. In this case resort may be had to 

 cultures, animal inoculation, or examination of sections 

 of the extirpated tumor. The bacilli are not present 

 in the blood until just before death. Along with the 

 anthrax bacilli pus cocci are often found in the pustule 

 penetrating into the dead tissue. 



Internal anthrax is much less common in man; it 

 does, however, occur now and then. There are two 

 forms of this : the intestinal form, or mycosis intesti- 

 nalis, and the pulmonic form, or wool-sorter's disease. 



Intestinal anthrax is caused by infection through the 

 stomach and intestines, and results probably from the 

 eating of raw flesh or unboiled milk of diseased animals. 

 That the eating of flesh from infected animals is com- 

 paratively harmless is shown by Gerlier, who states that 

 of 400 persons who were known to have eaten such 

 meat not one was affected with anthrax. On the other 

 hand, an epidemic of anthrax was produced among wild 

 animals, according to Jansen, by feeding them on in- 

 fected horse flesh. It is evident, therefore, that there 

 is a possibility of infection being caused in this way. 

 The recorded cases of intestinal anthrax in man have 

 occurred in persons who were in the habit of handling 

 hides, hair, etc., which were contaminated with spores; 

 in those who were conducting laboratory experiments, 

 and rarely it has been produced by the ingestion of food, 

 such as raw ham and milk. The symptoms produced 

 in this disease are those of intense poisoning chill, fol- 



