GENUS BACTERIUM 221 



ters of this organism and also emphasizes the value of the ag- 

 glutination test in detecting animals infected with this or- 

 ganism. 



Resistance. Bact. dbortionis is destroyed by heat at 60 C. 

 for a short time and by the usual disinfectants. It seems to 

 be eliminated from the body of the infected cow in about six 

 weeks after abortion. 



Pathogenesis. M'Fadyean and Stockman state that they 

 "have no hesitation in stating that we believe that at least 99 

 per cent of the outbreaks of cattle abortion which assume 

 epizootic characters are due to infection by the bacillus of 

 cattle abortion, and that the fact of a cow having aborted on 

 a premises formerly believed to be clean is a sufficient reason 

 for suspecting that the disease has been introduced." 



We have produced abortion in guinea pigs by the sub- 

 cutaneous injection of cultures of this organism. Also preg- 

 nant cows injected in the jugular vein with pure cultures 

 aborted and the organism was obtained from the uterus. The 

 time required was from 40 to 120 days. 



BACTERIUM ANTHRACIS (KOCH) MIGULA. 



Synonyms. Bacillus anthracis Koch. 



Place in nature. Bacterium anthracis is the cause of 

 anthrax, a destructive infectious disease especially of the 

 herbivora. Cattle and sheep suffer most, although horses, 

 hogs, goats, guinea pigs and rabbits are susceptible. It also 

 affects man, usually causing local lesions which are often 

 fatal. The disease is known in the human species as malig- 

 nant pustule, wool-sorters' disease and rag-pickers' disease. 

 Anthrax was formerly very prevalent on the continent of 

 Europe as well as in India, Persia and Siberia. It has ap- 

 peared in many places in the United States.* 



Bacterium anthracis was first observed in 1849 by Pol- 



* The literature shows that it has been reported from about 25 

 of the states. In 1910 (Report of the N. Y. State Vet. College) it ap- 

 peared in ten localities in New York State. 



