INFECTION'. Ill 



the spores appear surrounded by a mass of gelatinous material. The 

 spores, when free, according to previous observers, develop into rods. 

 My own observations lead me to believe that the spores do not always 

 at once grow into rods, but that they may divide into four sporules, 

 in which the envelope as well as the spores take part. The spore then 

 elongates, becomes dumb-bell sha}>ed, and finally develops into rods." 



The action of the bacteria within the autositc is, as we have said, 

 the consumption of oxygen, for which they have a great affinity, 

 and the production of CO,. This fact, the absorption of O and ac- 

 cumulation of CO,, would seem to account for those cases of sudden 

 death by anthrax, and for the symptoms by which the disease mani- 

 fests itself — such as dyspnoea, cyanosis, clonic spasms, distended pu- 

 ])il, falling of the temperature, and asphyxia — which all correspond 

 with the phenomena of poisoning with CO,. The necroscopical re- 

 sults corrcs}:)ond to the same : congestion of the venous system, a 

 dark, tar-like condition of the blood, extravasations, cyanotic col- 

 oring of different parts. 



A peculiar diagnostic characteristic of bacillus anthracis is the 

 abruptness with which each segment terminates : the ends are square, 

 as if cut off, a condition which has not as yet been observed in any 

 other bacteria, not even B. sultilis, which resembles it very closely 

 in every other particular. 



The tenacity of B. anthracis is very great. They may retain 

 their virulence in a desiccated condition for months or even years. 

 1 0^ DQ of a drop of blood has been found sufficient to cause infection. 

 Davaine has caused infection with blood that had been kept in a 

 dried condition for twenty-two months. 



Bollinger sums up his conclusions as to the nature of anthrax as 

 follows : 



" It is an acute infectious disease. The infectious elements con- 

 stitute a vegetable parasite, which generates (endogenous) within the 

 infected organism, and perhaps externally (ectogenous), that is, in 

 the earth, when it finds conditions favoralde thereto ; that is, when 

 the earth has been first impregnated. Tiie disease is not contagious 

 in the general acceptance of the word, as infection from animal to 

 animal directly seldom takes place ; but it is highly transportable 

 by means of vehicles, from the peculiar characti-ristics of its etiologi- 

 cal elements. 



AppeajHUxce and Kctn.^iov. 



Anthrax occurs in all countries and climates, though to what 

 extent it appears among the animals of this country we have no 

 definite knowledge. 



