420 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



animal increases. It leans against supports or lies down. Blood-ves- 

 sels may rupture and give rise to spots of blood on the various mucous 

 membranes and bloody discharges from nose, mouth, rectum and vagina. 

 The urine not unfrequently contains blood (red- water). Death ensues 

 within one or two days. 



A third type of the disease anthrax subacutus includes those cases 

 in which the disease is more prolonged. It may last from three to seven 

 days and terminate fatally or end in recovery. In this type, which is 

 rarely observed, the symptoms are practically as described in the acute 

 form, only less marked. 



In connection with these types of intestinal anthrax swellings may 

 appear under the skin in different parts of the body, or the disease may 

 start from such a swelling, caused by the inoculation of anthrax spores 

 in one of the several different ways already described. If the disease 

 begins in the skin it agrees in general with the subacute form in pro- 

 longed duration, and it may occasionally terminate in recovery if the 

 swellings are thoroughly incised and treated. 



These swellings appear as O3demas and carbuncles. The former are 

 doughy tumors of a more or less flattish form passing gradually into 

 the surrounding healthy tissue. They are situated as a rule beneath 

 the skin in the fatty layer, and the skin itself is at first of healthy 

 appearance, so that they are often overlooked, especially when covered 

 with a good coat of hair. When they are cut open they are found to 

 consist of a peculiar jelly-like mass of a yellowish color and more or less 

 stained by blood. The carbuncles are firm, hot, tender swellings which 

 later become cool and painless and undergo mortification. The osdemas 

 and carbuncles may also appear in the mouth, pharynx, larynx, in the 

 tongue and in the rectum. 



The bodies of cattle which have died of anthrax soon lose their 

 rigidity and become bloated, because decomposition sets in very rapidly. 

 From the mouth, nose, and anus blood-stained fluid flows in small 

 quantities. When such carcasses are opened and examined it will be 

 found that nearly all organs are sprinkled with spots of blood or extrav- 

 asations of various sizes. The spleen is enlarged from two to five 

 times, the pulp blackish and soft and occasionally disintegrated. The 

 blood is of tarry consistency, not firmly coagulated, and blackish in 

 color. In the abdomen, the thoracic cavity, and in the pericardium or 

 bag surrounding the heart more or less blood-stained fluid is present. 

 In addition to these characteristic signs the carbuncles and swellings 

 under the skin already described will aid in determining the true 

 nature of the disease. The most reliable method of diagnosis is the 

 examination of the blood and tissues for anthrax bacilli. This requires 

 a trained bacteriologist. 



Treatment. This is as a rule ineffectual and useless, excepting per- 

 haps in cases which originate from external wounds. The swellings 

 t should be opened freely by long incisions with a sharp knife and 



