136 DISEASES OF THE HOG. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



ANTHRAX OF THE PIQ. 



Anthrax. There are a number of diseases of the 

 pig which come under this head, and all are of a 

 carbuncular nature; that is, it is a constitutional 

 fever at first affecting the finer tissues of the body 

 and finally locating on some particular part, caus- 

 ing either large swellings or pustules on the part 

 affected, and if there is a tendency to the disease 

 prevailing swine are sure to come in for their share 

 of it. In this affection the blood is darker than in 

 health, and the name "charbon" has been given to 

 it by some writers. This condition is caused by a 

 bacillus called the"Bacillus Anthracis," a very large 

 bacterium. This vegetable organism gains entry 

 into the blood, and there multiplies by rapid repro- 

 duction. It is imagined that it wars with the red 

 corpuscles for the possession of oxygen, and soon 

 all the higher tissues become implicated. It is said 

 that heat and moisture are favorable for their de- 

 velopment and that the disease is more common 

 in the spring and fall when the weather is warm 

 and moist. Pasteur made a number of experi- 

 ments and came to the conclusion that the bacilli 

 gained entrance into the system with the food, and 



