SPORING BACILLI 307 



Rabbits, guinea-pigs, and white mice are all very 

 susceptible, the mice most so. Rats resistant, especially 

 the white rat ; dogs more so. Birds are highly immune, 

 also amphibians (but toads are said to be very susceptible). 



Toxins. No toxins have yet been isolated, though it is 

 highly probable that both extra- and intra-cellular toxins 

 exist. 



Vaccination. In France, a death-rate from anthrax of 

 10 per cent among sheep and 5 per cent among cattle 

 compelled attention to the problem of providing protection. 

 Pasteur, in 1881, introduced his method by the use of two 

 vaccines : (i) A broth culture of bacilli, whose virulence 

 was reduced by being incubated at 42 C. for twenty-four 

 days, and so made non-fatal to guinea-pigs but still fatal 

 to white mice premier vaccin ; (2) A broth culture, incu- 

 bated as above for twelve days, which would kill guinea- 

 pigs but not rabbits deuxieme vaccin. 



A sheep was inoculated in the subcutaneous tissues on 

 the inner side of the thigh with 5 drops of the premier 

 vaccin. Twelve days later a similar inoculation of the 

 deuxieme vaccin was given, and fourteen days later still 

 an injection of an ordinary virulent culture produced no 

 ill result. The method has given excellent results, and 

 the immunity lasts about a year. 



Passive Immunization. Sclavo produced a serum from 

 highly immunized asses, which has strongly protective 

 and curative properties, and is used in the treatment of 

 anthrax in man. In malignant pustule, four doses of 10 c.c. 

 are injected into the abdominal wall, and if necessary 

 repeated on the following day. Sclavo does not advise 

 excision of the pustule. Sobernheim uses serum from 

 sheep. 



Isolation of B. anthracis from hairs, etc. : Add 5 grm. 

 to broth and shake. Incubate : not a pure culture. Heat 

 to 80 C. for 30 minutes ; all non-sporing organisms killed. 

 Take twenty samples of i c.c. on agar and grow. Infect 

 animals and see if pathogenic. Plate again on second day. 



Diagnosis. 1. In a cass suspected to be malignant 

 pustule, diagnose by (i) Making films from the fluid in the 

 vesicles or from scrapings, and staining with watery methy- 

 lene-blue, and also by Gram (be careful in scraping a pustule 



