562 BACTERIOLOGY. 



method in France show that 3,300,000 sheep have 

 been thus inoculated. Of these 1 per cent, only have 

 died from anthrax, either during or after treatment; 

 whereas the mortality previous to the introduction of 

 this method was 10 per cent, on the average. Of 

 438,000 cattle inoculations only 0.33 per cent, have 

 died; the previous mortality from anthrax was 5 per 

 cent. These figures would seem to indicate the prac- 

 tical value of Pasteur's method of inoculation, notwith- 

 standing the arguments which have been put forward in 

 opposition to it. It is, however, not unattended with 

 danger, as some of the animals succumb to the after- 

 effects of the attenuated culture. 



Differential Diagnosis. The differential diagnosis of 

 the anthrax bacillus is ordinarily not difficult, as this 

 organism presents morphological, biological, and patho- 

 gen ical characteristics which distinguish it from all other 

 bacteria. In the later stages of the disease, however, 

 the bacilli may be absent or difficult to find, and culti- 

 vation on artificial media and experimental inoculation 

 in animals are not always followed by positive results. 

 Even in sections taken from the extirpated pustule it is 

 sometimes difficult to detect the bacilli. In such cases 

 only a probable diagnosis of anthrax can be made. It 

 should be remembered that the bacilli are not found in 

 the blood until shortly before death, and then only in 

 varying quantity; thus blood examinations often give 

 negative results, though the bacilli may be present in 

 large numbers in the spleen, kidneys, and other organs 

 of the body. The suspected material should be inocu- 

 lated in nutrient gelatin and agar in Petri plates and 

 in mice. 



Among other bacteria which may possibly be mis- 



