Treatinent. Prevention. 23 



supply of fresh water, preferably water which has been 

 slightly acidified with hydrochloric acid. 



Bleeding, which is still practiced, produces only temporary beneficial action in 

 the presence of pulmonary congestion, but should be performed cautiously on account 

 of the danger of spreading the infection. 



Prevention. In order to protect healthy animals from in- 

 fection care should be taken that the food, drinking water, 

 utensils, etc., which are accessible to them, and also the ground, 

 should not become contaminated by the excrement, blood, etc., 

 of animals affected with anthrax. In cases, however, where this 

 has occurred the infectious substances should be destroyed or 

 at least propagation of the infection should be prevented. 



This can be accomplished by the destruction of, or by 

 rendering harmless all products and excretions of the affected 

 animals and carcasses. The safest method for the destruction 

 of the infectious material is by burning or rendering (steaming 

 the carcasses under high atmospheric pressure should be em- 

 ployed to the greatest extent possible owing to the advantages 

 atforded by this method). When this is impossible the carcasses 

 should be buried at least 2 meters deep in out-of-the-way, 

 fenced-off places. They should also be covered with disin- 

 fectants, preferably powdered unslaked lime. The stalls oc- 

 cupied by the affected animals should be thoroughly disinfected. 

 All food and straw that has come in contact with affected ani- 

 mals or their carcasses, or which has been contaminated by 

 their excrement or blood should also be burned. 



In common practice the best disinfectants are boiling water and steam, 0.1% 

 corrosive sublimate, 5% carbolic acid, creolin or lysol solutions; also formalin 

 vapors. However, it is necessary for these substances to remaii^in prolonged con- 

 tact with the material to be disinfected owing to the 'great and variable tenacity of 

 the anthrax spores. 



According to Grossenthaler peat possesses disinfecting qualities on account of 

 the ulnic acid it contains, and this action may be increased by the addition of 3% 

 sulphuric acid. Hides may be disinfected with 5% creolin or lysol, but this 

 method is only absolutely successful when employed within two hours after the 

 death of the animal (Lignieres & Zabala), otherwise it frequently fails. As a 

 matter of fact at the present time there is no method known for an effective dis- 

 infection of hides without injuring them for their technical utilization (Xylander). 

 Brekle believes that the question may be solved by subjecting the spore-containing 

 hides in a moist condition to a temperature of 43-44°C., by which all spores would 

 germinate and the hides accordingly would contain only sporeless bacilli which 

 could be destroyed with milk of lime. Horse hair is effectively disinfected by dry 

 heat at 110°C. followed by steam at 100°C. (deEossi; see also page 5). 



The officially required disinfection of railroad stock cars in Germany with 

 5% "Kresulfol" (cresol-sulfonic acid) was found by Schniirer to be absolutely 

 ineffective against anthrax spores, and he recommended instead the disinfection 

 with %% formaldehyde solution. 



When the disease appears careful search should be made 

 for the source of the infection (origin of food, drying of hides 

 in the hay loft, or in the stable, etc.). If suspicion is directed 

 to the forage from certain fields or meadows this supply should 

 not be fed, at least not while the animals are susceptible to 

 the disease. Should the disease occur in a pasture the healthy 



