72 MANUAL OF EQUINE MEDICINE. 



have been traced to the indiscriminate burial of diseased 

 carcases. According to M. Pasteur, the spores of the bacillus 

 are brought to the surface by earth-worms, even ten to 

 twelve months after burial of diseased carcases ; but this 

 method of propagation is doubted by some. 



Dogs, after feeding on diseased flesh, may bite sheep, and 

 thus inoculate them with the disease. 



Flies feeding on anthrax blood have been shown to 

 absorb sufficient poison in their proboscides to give the 

 disease to animals inoculated with the contents. 



Anthrax may be spread by eating contaminated food, by 

 water percolating the soil and carrying with it the germs of 

 the disease. Knives uncleaned may also propagate the 

 disease. 



The germs are said to be more volatile in spring and 

 summer, less so in autumn, and still less in winter. 



Although anthrax has not been shown to be infectious, 

 yet there is every probability that it is. The disease often 

 first appears in districts where it may be enzootic, and then 

 assumes an epizootic form. 



Incubation. — Varies from a few hours to one, two, or 

 even four days. 



Symptoms of Anthrax, without Special Localization, 

 or Anthrax Proper, or Anthrax Fever, or Anthrax 

 Apoplectica. — This disease is rare in Great Britain. 

 The symptoms appear suddenly. The horse has violent 

 muscular tremors, perspires freely, and breathes with 

 difficulty and irregularly. There is complete loss of control 

 of the muscular movements, especially of the lumbar 

 muscles, and those of the posterior limbs in particular. The 

 animal staggers and dies convulsed. These acute symptoms, 

 especially those of nervous complications, may, however, 

 abate in two or three days, and finally end in death or 

 recovery. However, the symptoms are not always so 



