388 BACTERIA PATHOGENIC TO MAN 



oedema. The oedema may become so intense that gangrene results; 

 such cases usually prove fatal. 



The bacilli are found on microscopic 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 intestinalis, and the pulmonic form, or wool-sorters' dis- 

 ease. 



Intestinal anthrax is caused by infection through the stomach and 

 intestines, and results probably from the eating of raw flesh or un- 

 boiled milk of diseased animals. That the eating of flesh from infected 

 animals is comparatively 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 infected 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, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, moderate fever, and 

 pains in the legs and back. The pathological lesions are similar to 

 those described in animals. 



Wool-sorter ft' disease, or pulmonic anthrax, is found in large estab- 

 lishments in which wool and hair are sorted and cleansed, and is caused 

 by the inhalation of dust contaminated with anthrax spores. The 

 attack comes on with chills, prostration, then fever. The breathing is 

 rapid, and the patient complains of pain in the chest. There may be 

 a cough and signs of bronchitis. The bronchial symptoms in some 

 instances are pronounced. Death may occur in from two to seven 

 days. The pathological changes produced are swelling of the glands 

 of the neck, the formation of foci of necrosis in the air passages, oedema 

 of the lungs, pleurisy, bronchitis, enlargement of the spleen, and paren- 

 chymatous degenerations. 



Prophylaxis against Anthrax Infection. Numerous investigations 

 have been undertaken with the object of preventing infection from 

 anthrax. The efforts of Pasteur to effect immunity in animals by 

 preventive inoculations of "attenuated virus" of the anthrax bacillus, 

 opened a new field of productive original research. Following in his 

 wake many others have devised methods of immunization against 

 anthrax infection; but the one adopted by Pasteur, Chamberland, arid 



