ANTHRAX. 455 



has set in the treatment recommended in the chapter on wounds 

 should be carried out. 



In the treatment of animals showing symptoms of anthrax, the 

 serum recommended under the next heading of " Prevention " should 

 be administered in large doses. Animals showing only a high tem- 

 perature with no other symptoms of the disease should be given 

 from 30 to 50 cubic centimeters of the serum, but if the gravity of 

 the disease is pronounced 100 cubic centimeters should be adminis- 

 tered. In most instances a drop in temperature may be observed and 

 a diminishing of the severity of the symptoms. At times, however, 

 a relapse occurs about the second or third day following the serum 

 injection, when it becomes necessary to administer another dose of 

 serum. It has been proved that animals affected with anthrax may 

 recover after injections of potent serum. 



Prevention. — ^In this disease prevention is the most important 

 subject demanding consideration. The various means to be sug- 

 gested may be brought under two heads: (1) The surroundings of 

 the animal, and (2) preventive inoculation. 



(1) Surroundings. — Wliat has already been stated of those con- 

 ditions of the pastures which are favorable to anthrax, after a little 

 thought, will suggest to most minds some of the preventive measures 

 which may be of service in reducing losses in anthrax localities. All 

 that conduces to a better state of the soil should be attempted. The 

 iState or Nation, by appropriate engineering, should do its share in 

 preventing frequent inundations. If pools of stagnant water exist 

 in the pastures, or if any particular portions are known by experience 

 to give rise to anthrax, they should be fenced off. Efforts should 

 likewise be made toward the proper draining of swamp lands fre- 

 quented by cattle. Sometimes it has been found desirable to abandon 

 for a season any infected or dangerous pastures. This remedy 

 can not be carried out by most farmers, and it is liable to ex- 

 tend the infected territory. In some instances withdrawal of cattle 

 from pastures entirely and feeding them in stables is said to have 

 reduced the losses. 



It is of the utmost importance that carcasses of animals which have 

 died of anthrax be properly disposed of, as every portion of such 

 animal contains the bacilli, ready to form spores when exposed to the 

 air. Perhaps the simplest means is to bury the carcasses deep, 

 where they can not be exposed by dogs or wild animals. It may be 

 necessary to bury them on the pasture, but it is better to remove 

 them to places not frequented by susceptible animals and to a point 

 where drainage from the graves can not infect any water supply. 



If they are moved some distance it must be borne in mind that the 

 gi'ound and all objects which have come in contact with the carcass 

 should be disinfected. This is best accomplished with chlorid of 



