298 DISEASES OF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, ETC. 



uated as a rule beneath the skin in the fatty layer, and the skin it- 

 self is at first of healthy appearance, so that they are often over- 

 looked, especially when covered with a good coat of hair. When 

 they are cut open they are found to consist of a peculiar jelly-like 

 mass of a yellowish color and more or less stained by blood. The 

 carbuncles are firm, hot, tender swellings, which later become cool 

 and painless and undergo mortification. The edemas and car- 

 buncles may also appear in the mouth, pharynx, larynx, in the 

 tongue, and in the rectum. 



The bodies of cattle which have died of anthrax soon lose their 

 rigidity and become bloated, because decomposition sets in very 

 rapidly. From the mouth, nose, and anus blood-stained fluid flows 

 in small quantities. When such carcasses are opened and examined, 

 it will be found that nearly all organs are sprinkled with spots of 

 blood or extravasations of various sizes. The spleen is enlarged from 

 two to five times, the pulp blackish and soft and occasionally disin- 

 tegrated. The blood is of tarry consistency, not firmly coagulated, 

 and blackish in color. In the abdomen, the thoracic cavity, and in 

 the pericardium, or bag surrounding the heart, more or less blood- 

 stained fluid is present. In addition to these characteristic signs, 

 the carbuncles and swellings under the skin, already described, will 

 aid in determining the true nature of the disease. The most re- 

 liable method of diagnosis is the examination of the blood and 

 tissues for anthrax bacilli. This requires a trained bacteriologist. 

 The fatal cases of anthrax number 70 to 90 per cent, and are usu- 

 ally more numerous at the first outbreak of the disease. 



Differential Diagnosis. The diagnosis from blackleg may be 

 made by noting the subcutaneous swellings which appear upon the 

 patient. Those of blackleg are found to crackle under pressure with 

 the finger, owing to the presence of gas within the tissues, while the 

 tumors of anthrax, being due to the presence of serum, are entirely 

 free from this quality and have a somewhat doughy consistence. 

 The tumors of blackleg usually locate on the shoulder or thigh and 

 are not found so frequently about the neck and side of the body as 

 are the swellings of anthrax. The blood of animals dead of black- 

 leg is normal, and the spleen does not appear swollen or darkened, 

 as in animals affected with anthrax. The chief differences between 

 anthrax and Texas fever are that the course of the former is more 

 acute and the blood of the animal is dark and of a tar-like consist- 

 ence, while in the case of Texas fever it will be found thinner than 

 normal. The presence of Texas fever ticks on the cattle would 

 also lead one to suspect Texas fever in regions where cattle are not 

 immune from this disease. 



Treatment. This is as a rule ineffectual and useless, except- 

 ing perhaps in cases which originate from external wounds. The 

 swellings should be opened freely by long incisions with a sharp 

 knife and washed several times daily with carbolic acid solution (1 

 ounce to a quart of water). Care should be taken to disinfect thor- 

 oughly any fluid discharges that may follow such incision. When 



