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the only disease proven to be due to a bacterium, by 

 demonstrations so clear and unequivocal as to convince 

 skepticism and silence sophistry. It is, therefore, the rock 

 of ages on which the bacteriologists seek refuge from the 

 waves of ridicule ; the cross to which they cling amid the 

 storms of adverse criticism ; the strong castle from which 

 they repel the impotent assaults of their enemies. The 

 knowledge of certain facts as to the occurrence of this 

 disease has extreme value for those of us who, having no 

 prejudices nor views to protect, belonging to no camp 

 nor sect in pathology, are actuated by a desire, not to 

 demolish every one whose views do not accord with ours, 

 but to ascertain and interpret intelligently all facts bear- 

 ing upon the relations of bacteria to disease. 



Anthrax is endemic in some parts of Europe, particu- 

 larly of Russia, Germany, and France, and exists also in 

 the United States. A conception of its extent may be 

 derived from the fact that in one Russian district alone 

 there perished in 1867-70 fifty-six thousand domestic 

 animals horses, cows, and sheep and five hundred and 

 twenty-eight human beings. In 1770 there occurred an 

 epidemic in the West Indies, in which, within six weeks, 

 fifteen thousand men died from eating beef infected with 

 this parasite (Law). Sheep appear to be the natural 

 host of the bacillus, since they are affected during the 

 entire year, while other animals exhibit the disease only 

 sporadically. Anthrax is both contagious and infectious ; 

 is acquired by cattle in grazing in certain localities, par- 

 ticularly after inundations, and in spots where animals 

 similarly infected have grazed ; may be probably acquired 

 through the agency of flies. By man the disease is con- 

 tracted through contact with infected animals, flesh, 

 hides, wool ; by eating infected meat. 



These clinical facts were established long before the 

 discovery of the bacillus; and have become intelligible 

 and coherent only since the life-history of the parasite 

 has been studied for it is demonstrated that this plant 

 produces spores, which, when placed under favorable 

 conditions, grow into the mature form ; but which, mean- 



