238 THE DISEASES AND DISORDEES OF THE OX. 



Horses are occasionally attacked in this country, and the 

 malady is of common occurrence in the equine tribe in Central 

 Hindustan and in South Africa. 



In Asia Minor it was known at the time of the siege of Troy. 

 The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were especially re- 

 markable for the devastations made by many severe outbreaks 

 of this plague. In 1617 the malady was of so fatal a type that 

 over 60,000 people died round Naples from eating the flesh of 

 animals which had died of the disease. At the present date 

 anthrax often rages in Siberia. In Central Asia it is known 

 under the name of Loodianah disease, and in Australia as the 

 Cumberland disease. As Texas fever, in the United States it 

 is of common occurrence, and makes serious ravages among the 

 cattle. According to Toussaint, animals of the value of 

 20,000,000 francs die annually of splenic fever in France, in 

 which country the disease is termed charhon. In Germany it is 

 the miltZ'brand or miltz-hrand Jieher, 



The disease is a contagious fever occasioned by the entrance 

 of the special germs into the blood, and by their presence and 

 multiplication in different parts of the body. It may rage as 

 an epizootic over extensive areas, or it may break out in isolated 

 spots from time to time. It occurs whenever the conditions are 

 very favourable to the growth of the germs, which are present 

 on the land in certain places. It is less commonly met with in 

 winter than at other seasons of the year, is more prevalent when 

 the weather is tempestuous, when great heat alternates with 

 stormy rains, when the atmosphere is cold and laden with mois- 

 ture, and, as we said above, in the summer and autumn months. 

 In damp, marshy districts, inundated with water which has 

 become stagnant, and situated near rivers and streams, especially 

 if the weather become hot after being damp, the disease is very 

 frequently met with. As might be expected, when a very hot 

 summer has been preceded by a great downpour of rain, anthrax 

 often breaks out. 



During hot seasons it prevails especially on badly-drained 

 lands, and in wet seasons especially on rich and stiff soils. 

 Sudden changes of diet are said frequently to favour the produc- 

 tion of anthrax. For instance, sheep which are suddenly allowed 

 to have too much cake and oats may be afflicted with it, i.e., 

 when there has been a sudden change from a very poor diet to a 



