SPORE-FORMING PA THOGENIC ORGA NISMS 77 



which in some places may have so distended the capil- 

 laries as to have ruptured them and escaped into the 

 surrounding tissue. Anthrax, once introduced, may 

 become endemic in a field in the following manner: The 

 infected animal dies; the bacilli in the bloody discharges 

 that come in contact with the air develop spores, which 

 may be blown about on to the surrounding soil, and remain 

 dormant there for long periods. Animals feeding on 

 grass growing about this spot would be liable to infection. 

 The bacilli, if developed, might be killed by the gastric 

 juice, but the spores could withstand its action and enter 

 the circulation. 



Pasteur suggested that after the burial of an animal, 

 worms might bring the spores to the surface. Klein 

 found that all bacilli and spores are killed within a week 

 by putrefaction if the body be left intact. Outbreaks 

 among horses and cattle have occurred through infected 

 oats and Unseed cake. The bacillus has been found in 

 effluents, and cattle drinking therefrom have been in- . 

 fected. In one case, foreign bone manure conveyed the 

 bacillus to a workman. The chief danger to operatives 

 in industries involving the handling of wool, hides, and 

 horsehair appears to lie in the small clots of blood on 

 the same. The Bradford Anthrax Investigation Board 

 urge that all blood-stained material should be thrown out 

 before any process of combing takes place. 



A highly satisfactory immunity, which, however, is 

 transitory, seldom lasting more than a few months, may 

 be conferred upon susceptible animals by injection of_a 

 culture attenuated by growth at 42-5 C. for fifteen days, 

 followed twelve days later by a second culture attenuated 

 by ten days' growth at the same temperature (Pasteur's 

 vaccine). 



Cases of anthrax in animals are dealt with under the 

 Anthrax Order of 1899 issued by the Board of Agricul- 

 ture. 



Serum Treatment. Marchoux vaccinated sheep with 

 an attenuated culture, and then injected them with'in- 

 creasing doses of virulent cultures. Sclavo employs the 

 ass, immunising by the same method, and the antiserum 

 so prepared has been used with success in the treatment 

 of anthrax in man. The serum is bactericidal rather than 

 antitoxic. 



