GENERAL DISEASES. 69 



warm. Cathartics, e.g. aloes, with or without salines, may- 

 be given, ^elladqnna and ergot have been found of much 

 benefit. The former may be administered hypodermically 

 in the form of sulphate of atropia. 



During convalescence, vegetable tonics with iodine may 

 be given, and if paralysis remain, doses of strychnine, iron 

 and quinine should be administered. Electricity also may 

 be tried. In cases of great prostration, quinine or cinchonine 

 and alcoholic stimulants are useful. 



Locally, apply ice-bags to the spine, or hot water, as re- 

 commended by Dr. Chapman. 



The spine may also be rubbed with stimulating liniments. 



The diet should be nourishing and laxative. 



ANTHRAX. 



Synonyms. — Splenic fever; charbon; charbone; malig- 

 nant carbuncle; gloss-anthrax; carbuncular fever; miltz- 

 brand (German) ; carbone (Italian) ; jaswa (Eussian). 



Historical Review. — Anthrax is mentioned in the Scrip- 

 tural narrative as the ' blain,' which affected both man and 

 beast. It is described by the Greek and Latin writers. 

 The former termed the disease oicr)iia when occurring in 

 animals, and avQpa^ when affecting man. The Latin writers 

 termed the disease sacra ignis in animals, and carhunculus in 

 man. 



Anthrax, though now of rare occurrence among horses, 

 frequently raged as a malignant epizooty throughout 

 Europe, in past times. The seventeenth and eighteenth 

 centuries were remarkable for the devastations made by 

 many epizootic outbreaks of anthrax. 



In 1617 it was of such a fatal type, that around Naples 

 over 60,000 persons perished from partaking of the flesh 

 of animals which had died of the disease. 



