782 PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS 



from buried carcasses, at first suspected by Pasteur, is probably 

 Very slight, owing 1 to the fact that the bacilli can not sporulate 

 in the anaerobic environment to which the burying-process subjects 

 them. The disease, in infected cattle and sheep, is usually acute, 

 killing within one or two days. The mortality is extremely high, 

 fluctuating about eighty per cent. 



In man the disease is usually acquired by cutaneous inoculation. 

 It may also occur by inhalation and through the alimentary tract. 



Cutaneous" inoculation occurs usually through small abrasions or 

 scratches upon the skin in men who habitually handle live-stock, 

 and in butchers, or tanners of hides. Infection occurs most fre- 

 quently upon the hands and forearms. The primary lesion, often 

 spoken of as "malignant pustule," appears within twelve to twenty- 

 four hours after inoculation, and resembles, at first, an ordinary 

 small furuncle. Soon, however, its center will show a vesicle filled 

 with sero-sanguineous, later sero-purulent fluid. This may change 

 into a black central necrosis surrounded by an angry red edematous 

 areola. Occasionally local gangrene and general systemic infection 

 may lead to death within five or six days. More frequently, how- 

 ever, especially if prompt excision is practiced, the patient recovers. 

 The early diagnosis of the condition is best made bacteriologically 

 by finding the bacilli in the local discharge. 



The pulmonary infection, known as "wool-sorter's disease," 

 occurs in persons who handle raw wool, hides, or horse hair, by the 

 inhalation or by the swallowing of spores. The disease is fortunately 

 rare in this country. The spores, once inhaled, develop into the 

 vegetative forms 17 and these travel along the lymphatics into the 

 lungs and pleura. The disease manifests itself as a violent, irregular 

 pneumonia, which, in the majority of cases, leads to death. The 

 bacilli in these cases can often be found in the sputum before death. 



Infection through the alimentary canal may occasionally, though 

 rarely, occur in man, the source of infection being usually ingestion 

 of the uncooked meat of infected animals. This form of infection 

 is rare, because in many cases the bacilli have not sporulated in 

 the animal and the ingested vegetative forms are injured or de- 

 stroyed by the acid gastric juice. When viable spores enter the 

 gut, however, infection may take place, the initial lesion being 

 localized usually in the small intestine. The clinical picture that 

 follows is one of violent enteritis with bloody stools and great 



17 Eppinger, Wien. med. Woch., 1888. 



