40 THE FARM DOCTOR. 



pains, unsteady gait, breathlessness when driven, flattened 

 fleece, deep-sunken eyes, stupor, convulsions, and speedy 

 death. Many cases of so-called braxy are not communicable 

 to other animals, hence not genuine anthrax. 



Anthrax Fever in Swine. — There are dullness, thirst, in- 

 appetence, a tardy, unsteady gait, hot, pendent ears, drooping 

 tail, deep, dull, brownish-red eyes, hurried breathing, small 

 pulse, violent heart's action, and tense, tender abdomen. 

 Nervous tremors, twitching or cramps come on, the body 

 cools, bloody urine is passed, and sometimes bloody dung. 

 Dark or black spots appear on the skin and mucous mem- 

 branes, as in hog-cholera, and if the animal survives these are 

 sloughed oft, often leaving sores. If swelling appears ex- 

 ternally it is often a herald of improvement 



Anthrax Fever in Birds. — There is inappetence, ruffling of 

 plumage, sinking of the head in the shoulders, foetid diarrhoea, 

 drooping, trailing wings, tenderness to the touch, muscular 

 weakness, unsteady walk, inability to perch, livid or black 

 comb and wattles. Sometimes the feathers drop off and swell- 

 ings appear about the head, throat, or feet 



Treatment of Malignant Anthrax. 



This is unsatisfactory owing to the rapidly fatal action of the 

 poison. The first cases usually die, the later ones may often 

 be treated with fair success. 



General Treatment. — In very plethoric subjects bleeding may 

 prove beneficial at the outset, but in advanced stages, in poor 

 and weak subjects, and in those with feeble constitutions, like 

 sheep, it is to be strongly condemned. Act on the bowels, 

 kidneys, and skin to eliminate the poison (sulphates of soda, 

 or magnesia, acetate, nitrate, or tartrate of potassa, common 

 salt, oil of turpentine). Sponge with cold water and rub 

 actively till dry. Rub with caiiiphorated spirit or oil of turpen- 

 tine. Give tonics (quinia, snlacin, etc ), antiseptics (niineral 



