200 SYMPTOMATIC ANTHRAX 



bronchi are sometimes hyperemic and sprinkled with hemor- 

 rhages. 



The blood is of a normal color and coagulates readily. 

 The fluids of the muscles have, according to Feser, an acid 

 reaction, and the flesh becomes rapidly putrid. The bacilli of 

 quarter-ill are found only in small numbers if at all in the 

 blood during life, but abundantly a few hours after death. 

 They are numerous in the local lesions. 



§ 157. Differential diagnosis. Black quarter is to be 

 differentiated from anthrax, the "corn-stalk" disease, septi- 

 caemia hemorrhagica and various forms of poisoning. Usually 

 the localized subcutaneous lesions are sufficient to differentiate 

 black quarter from these other affections. It often happens, 

 however, that post-mortem changes have so modified the car- 

 cass before it can be examined that the diagnosis is question- 

 able. In this and all doubtful cases or where only small 

 portions of tissue are sent for examination, it is necessary to 

 resort to a more definite method or methods, viz. : microscopic 

 examination, cultures and animal inoculation. 



(i) Microscopic examinatioji. Cover-glass preparations 

 made from the fresh tissues will ordinarily exhibit the specific 

 bacteria. They are easily distinguished m case of anthrax and 

 black quarter and often with septicaemia hemorrhagica while 

 in the "corn-stalk" disease and cases of poisoning charac- 

 teristic bacteria are not found. It is important to eliminate 

 putrifactive bacteria, when the animals have been dead for 

 some hours. 



(2) CulUires. Ordinary culture media inoculated with 

 the tissues from a case of anthrax will give growths of the 

 anthrax bacterium, and from cases of septicaemia hemorrha- 

 gica that of B. bovisepticus, but with the other two diseases 

 they will remain clear if uncontaminated. The black quarter 

 bacillus will grow on these media only when placed in anaero- 

 bic conditions. In case of the "corn stalk" disease the media 

 will continue to be clear. 



(3; Animal i^ioculation. In guinea-pigs inoculated in the 

 deeper subcutaneous tissues wnth pure cultures of sympto- 

 matic anthrax bacteria or with bits of tissue from the affected 



