ANTHRAX. 207 



These experiments demonstrated that salting destroys the viru- 

 lence of the flesh of pigs which have died of anthrax, but in order 

 to obtain this result the salting must be thoroughly carried out. If 

 the process be incomplete the flesh is still virulent. Thus the leg 

 of a pig salted for only fourteen days furnished a juice which 

 possessed a certain amount of virulence. Out of three inoculated 

 rabbits, one died in ninety-seven hours of anthrax, and the others 

 recovered. Three guinea-pigs all succumbed, and a fourth guinea- 

 pig inoculated with a cultivation from the muscle-juice also died. 

 Peuch considers that there is danger in consuming flesh which has 

 not been thoroughly cured. 



As it has been clearly shown that pigs may become infected with 

 anthrax, these animals come under the Anthrax Order of 1886. 

 This provides for the disposal of the carcass; and although Peuch 

 has shown that salting destroys the virulence of the flesh of pigs 

 which have died of anthrax, there can be no doubt that it is quite 

 right that such animals should be condemned as unfit for food. 



Further, the recognition of the occurrence of true anthrax in 

 swine is an additional reason for condemning the Continental practice 

 of eating hams, sausages, etc., in the raw state. Indeed, the viru- 

 lence of anthrax flesh suggests one possible explanation of some 

 of those obscure cases of meat poisoning which have occurred in 

 this country. It is possible that the flesh of animals which had 

 died of anthrax was used in the preparation of sausages, pork- pies, 

 etc., and that the cooking was not sufficient to deprive the meat 

 of its poisonous properties. 



EQUINE ANTHRAX. 



Veterinary authorities have described " Anthrax in the Horse," 

 but it remains to be seen whether there are not two or more affec- 

 tions included under this heading. Fleming says : " The most 

 acute form of anthrax, the apoplectic, is somewhat rare in the 

 horse, and has perhaps been most frequently observed on the 

 Continent. Though cases are recorded, but through an error in 

 diagnosis, under other names in the veterinary literature of this 

 country, I have only witnessed two cases in England ; though during 

 the intense summer heat in the north of China I had several." 



The question to which the author is in a position to give a 

 definite answer is, whether the disease produced by the Bacillus 

 anthracis ever occurs in the horse. Whether that has been pre- 

 viously determined, at any rate in this country, it is difficult to say. 



