ANTHRAX 87 



produced in this way is usually characterized by local mani- 

 festations known as "carbuncle disease," or "malignant 

 pustule." In this mode of infection the bacteria penetrate, 

 through wounds in the skin and exposed mucous membranes, 

 into the living tissues by means of infected utensils, the use of 

 infected instruments, and the bites of insects, especially the 

 house fly {Afiisca do7nestica. ) Dairy mple has called attention 

 to the spread of this disease among animals in the lower 

 Mississippi Valley by means of the horse fly ( Tabanidae. ) In 

 man many cases of the disease occur from the injuries or cuts 

 made at the post-mortem of anthrax animals or by the infec- 

 tion of skin wounds while handling infected hides or wool. 

 Malignant pustule is reported to be quite common among the 

 employes of certain tanneries and upholstering establishments 

 where hides and hair imported from infected districts or coun- 

 tries are used. 



(3.) Infection through the respiratory tract. Faser, Buch- 

 ner, I^emke, and other writers have shown experimentally 

 that the disease can be produced by the inhalation of spores. 

 In man this form of infection is quite common among the wool 

 sorters. In Great Britain where much foreign wool is handled 

 it has been reported as causing as many as 500 deaths 

 annually. 



^ 77. Symptoms. In anthrax, the symptoms var}- not 

 only in different species of animals but also in different indi- 

 viduals according to the location of the disease. Again, there 

 is often considerable variation when the lesions are apparently 

 the same. The most characteristic features of the disease are 

 (i) the suddenness of the attack, (2) the grave general distur- 

 bances, (3) high elevation of temperature, (4) a tendency to 

 ecchymoses of the mucous membranes and (5) local manifes- 

 tations, such as carbuncles and oedema of the skin, digestive 

 disturbances, brain complications or difficult respiration. It 

 sometimes happens that symptoms of metastatic infection 

 are detected. 



Anthrax has been classified according to its course as per- 

 acute, acute and subacute. It has also been divided accord- 



