312 IMPORTANT VARIETIES OF FISSION-FUNGI. 



Vitality and Resistant Properties of the Spores. — Stored in a dry- 

 condition, the duration of life appears unlimited. Spores remained 

 alive in different samples of water and earth (with different conditions 

 as to moisture), in putrid spleen, and in sewer contents for one and 

 one-quarter to two and three-quarter years (Sirena and Scagliosi, C. 

 B. xvn, 318). 



Regarding the varying resistance to heat, see page 52; to chemicals, 

 see page 53; to light, see page 53. Mormont found the resistance to 

 light very great: spores in water die in sunlight after forty-four hours; 

 when dry, they endure sunlight well for one hundred hours with 

 admission of air, and for one hundred and ten hours with exclusion 

 of air. The most resistant spores were obtained by Weil at 37°. 



Chemical Activities. — Only those mentioned in the 

 introductory remarks (p. 307) are known. The acids 

 formed are acetic and caproic. There is slight formation 

 of H 2 S, and none of indol. Specific toxins could not be 

 obtained from cultures by most writers. Compare the 

 most recent, entirely negative, critical and experimental 

 study of Conradi (Z. H. xxxi, 286). 



Distribution. — 



(a) Outside the body : So far found only, and always in 

 the form of spores, in places or on objects which were 

 contaminated with anthrax blood, etc. ; for example, barn 

 floors where anthrax cadavers had been skinned (G. 

 Frank), skins, wool, and hair of anthrax animals, brushes 

 prepared from the same, etc. They have not been demon- 

 strated in the water and soil of anthrax meadows. 



(6) In man connected with disease: As the cause of 

 cutaneous anthrax (malignant pustule), inhalation anthrax 

 (rag-pickers' and wool-sorters' disease, in the majority of 

 the cases), arid intestinal anthrax. In the first form the 

 bacilli are only at the affected place and in the lymphatics 

 leading therefrom; in the other forms they are also found 

 in the blood. 



(c) In animals : Common disease in cattle and sheep, 

 rare in horses (very rare in swine), which graze in anthrax 

 meadows. The infection takes place with preponderating 

 frequency through the intestines by means of spores. 



Regarding the findings upon section see page 313. 



Experimental Observations Regarding Pathogenic 

 Effects. — Especially susceptible are guinea-pigs and rab- 

 bits; somewhat less, sheep and cattle; much less, horses. 

 Rats, especially dark-colored ones, are often quite highly 



