276 Diseases of Cattle. 



CHAEBON— BLACK QUAETER— QTTAETER ILL— CONTAGIOTTS 

 AJTTHICAX— BLOODY MUREAIN. 



Definition. — A contagious and malignant disease of the 

 blood, most common in cattle, but communicable to all do- 

 mestic animals, and even to man (when it is known as 

 " malignant pustule.") It is called by the French charboUy 

 a coal, and by the English " black quarter," " black leg," 

 " black tongue," etc., because the part attacked turns of a 

 dark purple or nearly black color, from the decomposition of 

 the blood. 



Canses. — The French writers, who have given this dis- 

 ease especial study, on account of its prevalence in their 

 country, teach that it arises from contagion ; from spoiled 

 and tainted food ; from pasturing in low swamps and among 

 stagnant pools; and from hot and damp seasons. It is most 

 commonly seen in summer and autumn, especially when the 

 temperature is high and rain frequent. 



Most of the latest writers believe that the contagious prin- 

 ciple of charbon or anthrax consists in certain extremely 

 minute vegetable organisms which are found in the blood in 

 vast quantities. They are in the shape of rods, and have 

 been called anthrax bacteria and bacillus anthracis. They 

 are so extremely small that one writer estimates that eight or 

 ten millions may exist in a single drop of diseased blood. 

 Carefully conducted experiments leave hardly any doubt but 

 that these are capable of conveying this disease to healthy 

 animals. 



These poison-producing organisms have a wonderful ten- 

 acity of life, and hence every part of a diseased animal, the 

 blood, flesh, hides, hair, hoof, horns and excrement are poison- 

 ous, and \vill convey the infection. Prof. Gross mentions 

 the history of three persons who were attacked by the disease 

 after picking the feathers from a turkey-buzzard (a bird itself 



